In the late 1990s it seemed everyone in the United States was trying, to lose weight and the preferred diet of the era was a high-protein, low-carbohydrate regime. Popularized by "the diet doetor," Dr. Roberts C. Atkins, and his best-selling books, the diet did not limit the amount a person could eat. He maintained that by changing what people ate they could change their metabolism so that fat stores were mobilized and consumed, and weight loss would occur in the absence of limited portions or hunger.

The fundamental concept is that carbohydrates disrupt the balance of sugars and the natural hormone, insulin, which regulates them, thus promoting fat storage and weight gain. By eliminating carbohydrates the body goes into ketosis with resulting weight loss. Nutritionists and physicians questioned the safety of the lowcarbohydrate plans. The absence of fiber found in cereals- or...