Their experience parallels Gorran ™s. I feel victimized by Atkins. I feel angry and betrayed because even though this diet has been around for years, the Atkins people have not done the long-term studies to prove it is safe, he said. I am living proof that it is not.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has received more than 560 complaints of illnesses and fatalities allegedly related to Atkins-type diets through an on-line registry (www.AtkinsDietAlert), including more than two dozen reports of potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and the reported death of a 16-year-old girl in Missouri who was following a low-carbohydrate diet. After learning about the registry, Gorran sought the help of PCRM, which is providing legal counsel.

Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets have been criticized by major health organizations including the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association, and the American Kidney Fund.

Low-carbohydrate diets push dieters to avoid healthy foods, like rice, beans, and pasta, while ignoring the risks of high-cholesterol, high-fat meat and cheese, said PCRM President Neal Barnard, M.D. The idea that cholesterol and saturated fat don ™t matter is a dangerous myth. PCRM is encouraging dieters who may have had health problems while on a low-carbohydrate diet to register on www.AtkinsDietAlert.