Craze for Curbing Carbs

▪ 2005

      Despite lingering concerns about the effectiveness and possible health risks of low-carbohydrate diets, almost 12% of Americans—some 34 million persons—were thought to be on carb-restrictive diets in 2004, a number great enough to send shockwaves through the food industry. The phenomenon was not limited to the United States, birthplace of the Atkins Diet and its low-carb progeny diets such as the South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, and Protein Power. In the United Kingdom an estimated 3.8 million persons were counting carbs in 2003, and Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution ousted perennial local favourite Harry Potter from the top of a British best-seller list.

      The low-carb regimens turned upside down the conventional wisdom for losing weight. The regimens promised dieters that they could eat their way to leanness by loading up on protein-rich foods such as meat, cheese, and eggs while spurning carb-laden fare such as bread, pasta, and—during the diet's initial stages, at least—most fruits and vegetables.

      The medical establishment remained skeptical, but a study published in the May 18 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine offered supporting evidence, finding that over a six-month period, low-carb dieters shed an average of 5.5 kg (12 lb) more than those following conventional low-fat diets. A second study in the same issue, however, showed that after a full year, the weight-loss results for the two diets tended to even out. Moreover, concerns remained about both the long-term health effects of consuming large amounts of animal fat and protein and the nutritional deficiencies related to restricting carbohydrate intake.

      Such caveats, however, did not dent the insatiable consumer demand for everything low-carb. Industry observer LowCarbiz predicted that the low-carb economy in the U.S. would swell to $25 billion in 2004, up from $15 billion in 2003; and 95% of Europe's food manufacturers cited low-carb dieting as a major market force. In April, riding the demand created by carb-conscious consumers, leading American meat processor Tyson Foods posted a $47 million increase in quarterly earnings over the previous year. The change in eating habits sent Kraft Foods and other food manufacturers scrambling to reformulate recipes and roll out low-carb products. Restaurant chain T.G.I. Friday's served up Atkins-friendly menu items, and fast-food vendor Burger King introduced “hold-the-bun” burgers.

      On the flip side, leading pasta maker New World Pasta filed for bankruptcy, citing the toll from consumers' low-carb fixation, and erstwhile corporate high-flyer Krispy Kreme Doughnuts also implicated the diet trend in its financial woes. Battling slumping sales, the bread and potato industries mounted marketing counteroffensives, promoting the nutritional benefits of their products. Panera Bread and Subway hedged their bets and cooked up low-carb variants of their own. Although there were signs that the craze might be fading, low-carb dieting—whether fad or permanent fixture—was a commercial force no one could currently afford to ignore.

Stephen J. Phillips

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