Many nutrition experts disagree with the basic premise of the
Atkins Diet—the notion that high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets
cause obesity. For evidence of the implausibility of the Atkins
Diet, some nutritionists point out that the traditional Japanese
diet is very high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and very low
in fat; however, before the introduction of high-fat and high-
protein Western foods, being overweight was rare in Japan. Such
findings make sense because ounce for ounce, carbohydrates
contain far fewer calories than do fats. These critics blame
eating too many calories (from any source) and lack of physical
activity as the primary causes of obesity. Critics also express
concern about the impact of the Atkins Diet on the overall
health of the dieter. Depending on the foods chosen by the
dieter, the diet may contain a large amount of saturated fat and
cholesterol, putting those at risk for heart disease in danger.
Recent research has found that high-protein diets speed up the
progression of hardenin