Buckle down those hatches guys! - old trevor macdonald's at it again -
his 'tonight' show (well whaddaya know on tonight!) is all about big bad atkins (AGAIN!) and how it 'killed' that girl in america....don't think i'll bother watching it. For what it's worth, i think it's just one big conspiracy, 3 million people in the u.k are doing atkins! - w.w, slimfast, rosemary conley, bread and potato boards etc etc must be going mental and wiring the media CONSTANTLY hence all the bad press!

yes I know its so annoying, my hubby just texted me to say its on tonight I think I will be watching Eastenders!!

Since when has the media or government given a toss about public opinion?! They rely on the stupidity and apathy of the public to tell them what their opinion is!

Far more likely to be more backhanders to the government passed on in the form of censorship... that and it's probably dawned on them by now the legal and financial implications if this diet ever did get full scientific approval and the nation realized they could sue for their diabetes, heart condition, ME, obesity, you name it...

Looks like it's time to dig out their e-mail address ready to send the complaints to later!

Sheesh, talk about annoying! They made it look like a no veggie diet AGAIN GRRRRR why can't we have just ONE program that is even handed on the pro's and con's and let people make their own mind up, the only things that did please me was that they didn't spout the usual junk about how we're all at risk due to being in ketosis then giving out the details of ketoacidosis and that they had Gordon Ramsey testing the products, let's face it, the fact it was GR slating it will make more people interested lol

i think that the kidney doc was a bit embarrassed.even he said it would be alright as long as you drink plenty of water.far too many "mights and maybes".lets all get the e-m done.

http://www.itv.com/news/Specialatkins.html I'm utterly shocked - this is quite a well-reasoned article!!!!

If you have any comments about the Tonight program's dealing of LC/Atkins here's the direct e-mail address,

news~itv.com
the more who send in the better

Have not seen the programme, but did read about this girl in the Daily Mail last week. Do you realise she died in August 2000, that's 3 years ago. If it was really Atkins that killed her it would have caused a much, much bigger stir in the US with law suits etc. I did read she had low potassium and calcium in her blood, which I can understand, but probably not what killed her. The news media have just been short of any solid news to report, so they have used Atkins to grab the headlines, after all it does make people sit up and cause a divide, which is what they are aiming at.

As a very healthy low carber I spit in their face!!!!

And as a very bad low carber, I jump up and down on it... just because its been a while since I had the energy to stand, let alone jump!

I know, I know... bad low carber... bad. Hanging head in shame... not just so I can eat my dinner... honest!

The same girl was featured on this program (again it looked like a very recent thing), they said it was 'very likely' her death was related to her diet but went no further (terrified of being sued I'd guess) the main thing they could pick up on was that Atkins makes you wee a lot and lose electrolytes (no mention of the plan recommending that you drink a good water intake!).

One thing I firmly stand by is that if that girl died of ANYTHING directly related to Atkins then their would have been a whole herd of lawyers begging to let them make a case!

I'm probably being thick here, but I'm not seeing how a large water intake would help low electrolyte levels. If anything it seems to me that it could have the opposite effect [overdiluting the electrolytes]?

One interesting thing that I read in an article about the death, was that restricting calories could make the electrolyte imbalance worse, and that it wasn't a good idea to combine low-carb with calorie restriction. Personally, I take a supplement which includes calcium, magnesium and potassium.

However, if in all the years that Atkins has been going, and the millions of people who have tried it, if there has only been one death which is POSSIBLY Atkins related, then the chances of dying from the diet must presumably be very very low. I do feel terrible for the girl's mother who encouraged her to go on the diet, but I hope she isn't blaming herself for giving her daughter what was probably good advice at the time.

A low water level will flush out more electrolytes in the urine. Thus potassium is particularly vunlerable as I found to my cost some 6 months or so after starting Atkins. But as you say, if you take the supplements there is no problem. After all the high water intake keeps the kidneys working fine and means that there is no potential problem on that front.

I didn't see the programme, but it looks as though I didn't miss much! Just an old story being re-hashed and a lot of "maybes".

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the potato and bread councils aren't behind the whole thing!! Not that I've got a nasty suspicious mind or anything!!

He managed to get yet another dig in at ("fad diets like...") Atkins tonight. This time whilst giving an otherwise upbeat sermon... I mean, broadcast... about a new "wonderdrug" they're developing to help obese people curb their appetite so they can live off small portion, low fat diets and get diabetes instead...

Or words to that effect.

And I thought my opinion of British "news" broadcasting couldn't get any lower after Iraq...!