By KEVIN ALLEN

Staff Writer

People have tried just about everything to get rid of fat. They get it sucked out. They get their stomachs stapled. Now, as a last act of desperation, they eat more of it.

Low-carbohydrate diets, which promote the consumption of foods high in fat and protein, are sparking controversy among dieters and members of the medical community because of the potential health risks associated with this method of weight loss.

The Atkins Diet, a low-carbohydrate diet that has recently cycled back into popularity, was introduced by Dr. Robert C. Atkins in the 1970s. The food industry has utilized it for promotional schemes targeting the millions of obese Americans.

Many newcomers to the Atkins Diet were previously unaware of the amount of carbohydrates they were consuming.

"You'd be surprised how many carbohydrates you eat in a day if you're not on [Atkins]," Tara Bennett, a senior electrical engineering technology major, who has been on the Atkins Diet for about three months, said.

Bennett said she had never really been on a diet before now, but the success of a family member motivated her to try the Atkins Diet.

"I had a cousin that was on [Atkins Diet], and she said it was better than any other diet she had ever been on," Bennett said. "She has tried them all, and this is the only one that has ever worked for her."

Bennett said she does not have to rely on the word of her cousin any more. After three months of dieting, she said she has lost about 30 pounds.

But the controversy over the Atkins Diet and other low-carbohydrate diets is not centered on their ability to make people lose weight. The controversy is over the way people are losing the weight.

"Atkins was challenging the fact that American physicians have promoted a low-fat diet for a very long time," Dr. Mary Murimi, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics, said. "His major argument is that despite that recommendation, Americans are getting more obese. He said that fat is not the problem."

Murimi said Atkins instead attributed the obesity to carbohydrates.

"Once you increase your carbohydrates, you are going to increase your insulin, and your insulin is going to take that carbohydrate and deposit it as fat," Murimi said. "He recommends that you can eat foods that are high in fat as much as you want and still lose weight."

Bennett said she has learned to adjust her eating habits to accommodate this concept, though she said she sometimes finds it hard to keep from "cheating."

"It is not hard when you eat by yourself, but when you're going to eat with a group, then it's hard," Bennett said. "Most of the time if you go to a restaurant they will have salads, or you can get a steak. If you go to fast food places, you can get a regular burger. You just have to take the bread off. It is not really that much more difficult."

For customers like Bennett, many restaurants are now offering low-carbohydrate menu items. Subway Restaurants now have three Atkins-Friendly Wraps, containing combinations of approved meats and vegetables.

"We sell about 65 to 70 [Atkins-Friendly Wraps] a day," Laurie Buchan, manager of the Subway Restaurant at 701 W. California Ave., said. "It is really been a good promotion."

Buchan said Subway Restaurants also offers Atkins-Friendly Salads, low-carbohydrate Doritos Edge Tortilla Chips, and low-carbohydrate brownies.

Bennett said she has tried a lot of the new low-carbohydrate food items, and her reactions are mixed.

"I have bought the little candy bars, which are pretty good," Bennett said. "But the breakfast bars are nasty. I tried one of the low-carbohydrate Cokes, and it was not too bad. But I would rather drink a Diet Coke."

Bennett said she tries to fill the void of sugar with these artificially sweetened products.

Murimi said simple carbohydrates, commonly found in carbonated drinks and sweets, are one of the primary sources of obesity.

"The simple carbohydrates in the food you eat quickly when you are hungry are major contributors to obesity," Murimi said. "It is important to know that there is a difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates."

Murimi said complex carbohydrates in whole grains, fruits and vegetables are carried more slowly in the bloodstream than the simple carbohydrates and make a person feel full for a longer time, prompting them to eat smaller portions and less often. She also said they provide vitamins and minerals that are protective against diseases.

While Murimi admitted that many studies have shown that people on the Atkins Diet do lose weight, she said nutritionists are skeptical of another aspect of the diet.

"We are concerned about the health effects of the way they lose the weight," Murimi said. "You can lose weight by starving yourself. Our argument is that they might lose weight, but they are not healthy because they are loading their system with saturated fats that have been proved to lead to cardiovascular heart diseases."

Misti Odefey, chief clinical dietitian at Lincoln General Hospital, said she agreed that the long-term effects of low-carbohydrate diets could be detrimental to a person's health.

"There are health risks involved in the Atkins Diet, including the cardiovascular system, because of all of the cholesterol in the diet," Odefey said. "It is also thought that there might be long-term kidney damage because of all of the proteins they are forced to filter."

Bennett said she was aware of the health risks involved with the Atkins Diet, but they did not deter her from starting the diet. She said she does what she can to limit those risks.

"I know [Atkins Diet] can cause kidney damage, so I just drink a lot of water to help prevent it," Bennett said.

Her quick success with the diet is what persuaded her to stay with it.

"You see results real fast. It keeps you from getting discouraged easily."

Odefey said the quick results of low-carbohydrate diets could be deceiving.

"Since the majority of the weight lost is water weight and the individual is not learning any healthy habits, once they get off the diet they are going to gain it right back," Odefey said.

Odefey said a person usually can not lose more than two pounds of fat in a week.

Bennett said the results she has seen are enough for her to continue following the Atkins Diet. She said she would recommend the diet to anyone wanting to lose weight.

In contrast, individuals in the medical community like Murimi and Odefey do not see low-carbohydrate diets in the same light.

"I do not see any advantages at all," Murimi said.

"I am responsible for making sure that whether they lose weight or gain weight they lose or gain it in a healthy way. As far as I am concerned, Atkins Diet does not follow a healthy pattern."