Atkins, Father of the High-Protein Diet, Dies at 72 27825

Atkins, Father of the High-Protein Diet, Dies at 72

NEW YORK--Robert C. Atkins, M.D., the man whohelped thousands lose pounds by embracing a protein-rich diet, died April 17from complications of a head injury suffered April 8. Atkins, who was 72, diedfrom subdural hematoma at New York Weill-Cornell Medical Center with his wifeand friends by his side. He is survived by his wife, Victoria, and mother,Norma.

Atkins received his medical degree from Cornell UniversityMedical School in 1955 and originally specialized in cardiology. His callingturned to weight loss after following a self-imposed, high-protein diet to losethe 30 pounds he gained in med school. In addition to his work in nutrition,Atkins was a proponent of using ozone gas to kill cancer cells and the HIVvirus.

To date, Atkins' books have sold 15 million copies, his mostpopular book being Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, which spent fiveyears on The New York Times best-seller list, most of that time in thetop 10.

Through the Atkins Web site (www.atkinscenter.com),his wife Veronica had released a statement while Atkins was hospitalized:"I want to thank the thousands of people who have sent e-mails, cards,flowers and have called saying that they are praying for my husband. It makes meproud that my husband has touched so many lives and, having this reaffirmed atthis time, is very much helping me through this terrible ordeal."

Last April, Atkins suffered from cardiac arrest, which he saidwas due to a heart infection and not his diet.

According to Business 2.0 (www.business2.com),a story running in The New York Times July 7, 2002, titled "What ifIt's All Been a Big, Fat Lie?" about the Atkins diet prompted a mediafrenzy that elicited 1.6 billion impressions (or mentions) last year alone.Reportedly, the privately held Atkins Nutritionals' sales grew 70 percent in2002 to $100 million.

Atkins was named one of People magazine's 25 "MostIntriguing People" at the end of the 20th century and one of Timemagazine's "People Who Mattered." The Atkins Foundation is continuingto sponsor research currently being conducted at Duke University, the Universityof Connecticut and Harvard University.