I received the following update from Atkins Nutritionals regarding the
latest article in NYT:

http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/AtkinsHasNotChanged.html

If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:

Atkins Has Not Changed

"Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters," published
in the January 18th edition of The New York Times--and the subsequent
publicity--is yet another dramatically inappropriate example of the media
reporting on the media and perpetuating a false report on Atkins. This is a
great disservice to the millions upon millions of Atkins followers who have
been benefiting from this nutritional approach for more than 30 years. The
accusation in the media, which claims that Atkins is retreating from its
long-held position on the consumption of fat is simply wrong. It is a false
premise created by members of the media themselves, based on input from
"experts" who apparently have neither read any of Dr. Atkins' books, nor
even casually browsed this Web site.

Atkins has not changed. The basic tenets of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachT
(ANA), consistent since 1972, are to control the intake of carbohydrates,
avoid refined carbs (like sugar and white flour), eat a balance of fats
(including saturated fat but not trans fats) and consume a variety of
protein sources, such as red meat, fish, poultry and tofu. Saturated fat
remains a valuable part of the ANA. There is absolutely no scientific
research to support any claims that eating red meat and saturated fat as
part of your Atkins program is anything other then beneficial. These
protocols have been consistently reinforced as safe, effective and
beneficial and have been further supported by 17 studies released over the
last three years.

Equally as important, and terribly troubling to all of us at Atkins, is the
attempt once again by critics of Atkins to ignore fact, science and the
clear messages stated in Dr. Atkins' own words over the past 32 years, in
order to sensationalize the ANA as the "all-the-steak-you-can-eat" approach
to weight loss and good health. This has never been true and the millions of
individuals doing Atkins, along with the health care professionals who have
read Dr. Atkins' books, clearly understand this. We would urge anyone who is
confused, including the media to simply read Dr. Atkins' New Diet
Revolution, Atkins For Life or The Atkins Essentials, or review this site,
rather than interpret Atkins on the basis of sensational reports
manufactured on hearsay and mischaracterization.

Even in the original 1972 edition of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution, Dr. Atkins
explained, "fat allows for enormous variety in your diet; that vital and
best of all, it keeps you from feeling deprived. Of course, you aren't
confined to steak, you can have almost any kind of meat, fish or fowl." He
continued, "One of the biggest reasons this diet works so successfully is
because you eat protein and fat.."

Dr. Atkins made no secret of the fact that his methodology evolved over time
as scientific discoveries added new and useful information. He rewrote his
original 1972 book three times, exactly because he felt it was his
responsibility to keep people up to date when it came to the most recent and
relevant information on controlled carbohydrate nutrition and health. In the
2002 edition of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, he wrote, "Eat either three
regular-size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Eat liberally of
combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish,
eggs and red meat, as well as of pure, natural fat in the form of butter,
mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils. Adjust
the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When
hungry, eat the amount that makes your feel satisfied but not stuffed.."

By providing individuals doing Atkins with a life-long strategy, including
exercise and meal plans (at various carb thresholds) incorporating a wide
range of foods, as explained in Atkins for Life, Dr. Atkins believed he
would finally put to rest the misconception that his approach was based on
eating only red meat. His simple goal was that people would come to
understand how to incorporate his controlled carbohydrate nutritional
approach as the first step in gaining control of their nutritionally
out-of-control lives.

Millions of individuals who benefit from doing Atkins understand that the
ANA is a very effective four-phase approach to healthy eating. The ANA
focuses on moving people away from diets loaded with refined carbohydrates
like sugar and white flour to a lifestyle centered around eating whole foods
and nutrient-dense carbohydrates like leafy greens, and finding a balance in
the consumption of proteins and fat.