Jenny Thompson's newsletter had a major insight on the reports that Dr. Robert Atkins was clinically obese at the time of his death. A copy of Dr. Atkins’ autopsy report was mistakenly sent to a Nebraska doctor who passed it along to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a known critic of the Atkins Diet and an advocate group for vegetarianism. PCRM then passed the report on to the Wall Street Journal.

The report, which reveals that the six-foot-tall Dr. Atkins was clinically obese when he died at 258 pounds, does not take into account that Dr. Atkins weighed 195 pounds on the day he fell into a coma after slipping on ice. His weight then increased due to fluid retention.

There have also been reports that Dr. Atkins had heart disease. However, Dr. Atkins suffered from a condition known as cardiomyopathy, in which chronic bacterial infection weakens the heart, and that is unrelated to diet.

As Thompson states in her newsletter:

"The PCRM is playing the role of sore loser--and playing it perfectly. More and more studies are showing that the Atkins diet has not only helped people lose weight, but also lower cholesterol and blood pressure, decrease triglycerides, and beat diabetes and other diseases. Personally, that's what I would call "responsible medicine."

There should be no room for personal attacks and smear tactics in a medical debate ... Rather than directing personal insults against a man who passed away or staging stacked press conferences featuring one or two people with bad personal experiences, they [PCRM] would put their time and resources to much better use by conducting a medically appropriate study to prove their position. Does anyone else think that would be responsible medicine?"

Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute Newsletter February 12, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

I have enormous respect for Dr. Atkins. He was a major pioneer and helped introduce the radical concept that insulin plays havoc with weight and avoiding grains and sugars is an essential component to lose weight. He clearly was not overweight when he died, and the PCRM distorted the story horribly after obtaining the autopsy results illegally. However, Dr. Atkins’ program needed serious modification, as it did not incorporate biochemical individuality that is done with metabolic typing. It is unclear if Dr. Atkins was following his own program or if he, like most of us, had foods that were not the best for us. I do know that the truth is that it is inappropriate to ignore the messenger just because he isn't following the message. Perfection is a divine, not human, attribute. Related Articles: Atkins Diet Research Proves Grains Cause Weight Gain Flour Group Funds Anti-Atkins Obesity Report Bread Makers Hold Crisis Talks Over Impact of Atkins Diet Millions Have Tried the Atkins Diet in UK