Robert Atkins (physician)

Lore & Background

Atkins was born in 1930 in Columbus, Ohio, to Eugene and Norma Atkins; his family was Jewish. At age 12, his family moved to Dayton, Ohio, where his father owned restaurants. As a teen, he sold shoes at 14 and later worked on a local radio show. He attended Fairview High School in Dayton and, in 1947, finished second among 8,500 seniors on a statewide scholarship test. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1951, he considered becoming a comedian and spent a summer as a waiter and entertainer in the Adirondacks. He then pursued medicine, earning a medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1955, and completed an internship under Dr. Emma C. Götz at Strong Hospital in Rochester, New York, followed by a residency in cardiology and internal medicine at Columbia University-affiliated hospitals.

Atkins specialized in cardiology and complementary medicine, opening a private practice on the Upper East Side of New York City in 1959. His practice initially struggled, and he gained weight and became depressed. After research, he adopted a low-carbohydrate approach published by Alfred W. Pennington, based on World War II research at DuPont. He applied this approach in his practice and began writing books about low-carb diets, publishing his first book in 1972 and later opening a complementary medicine center. He married his wife, Veronica, when he was 56.

In 2001, Atkins's coronary arteries were 30 to 40 percent blocked, according to his cardiologist. In 2002, he went into cardiac arrest, which critics attributed to his diet, but Atkins stated it was caused by a chronic infection. On April 8, 2003, he was admitted to Weill Cornell Medical Center after slipping on ice and hitting his head; he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain, fell into a coma, and died on April 17. After his death, his widow stated that his coronary-artery disease had progressed with a new blockage and that he was taking heart-rhythm medication. A leaked medical examiner's report indicated a history of heart attack, congestive heart failure, and hypertension, and that he weighed 258 pounds at death, though the Atkins Physicians Council disputed this, stating he weighed 195 pounds on admission and had cardiomyopathy, likely from a virus. His widow refused an autopsy.

Reader's Guide

Robert Atkins's significance lies in his popularization of the low-carbohydrate diet, which became a cultural and commercial phenomenon. The Atkins Diet, emphasizing protein and fat while restricting carbohydrates, sparked widespread debate and imitation, leading to a wave of low-carb products and diets. Time named him a person of the year in 2002, reflecting his influence. However, the diet's safety remained controversial, especially after Atkins's own cardiac arrest and death, with critics citing high saturated fat intake as a risk. After his death, the diet's popularity waned, and Atkins Nutritionals filed for bankruptcy in 2005, later shifting to low-carb snacks. His legacy includes both a lasting impact on dietary trends and ongoing questions about the health effects of low-carb, high-fat eating. The disputes over his medical history underscore the polarized views surrounding his work.

Did You Know?

• Atkins finished second among 8,500 seniors on a statewide general scholarship test in 1947.
• He initially considered becoming a comedian and worked as a waiter and entertainer in the Adirondacks after college.
• His diet was based on research by Alfred W. Pennington, conducted during World War II at DuPont.
• After his death, a medical examiner's report was fraudulently obtained and leaked by a vegetarian pressure group.