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I Do Not Do Atkins!
Introduction
This is a story about how the media put spin on their programmes. They don't lie, but they don't tell the whole truth either.
During the third week of May, 2003, the New England Journal of Medicine published two papers which compared low-carb and low-fat diets for weight loss. One A Randomized Trial of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Obesity
was testing the Atkins diet, the other A Low-Carbohydrate as Compared with a Low-Fat Diet in Severe Obesity
was not. This one was testing two diets that were quite unlike any diet that either Dr Atkins or I would recommend although the ratios of carbs to fats did differ between the two.
The British ITV programme, Tonight with Trevor Macdonald, is a current affairs programme that has (had, would be a better word) a good reputation and a large following. In its Friday, 30 May 2003, edition the programme was discussing these two dietary studies as part of a year-long series on low-carb way of eating. They asked my wife, Monica, and me to participate. As we have been eating a low-carb diet since 1962 and were obviously prime candidates to talk about it.
Problems start
But there was a problem. Our way of eating is not the same as the Atkins diet — it never has been — and the producer insisted that the programme was only about the Atkins diet. In that case, I said, we would not take part.
After a Wednesday of telephone calls, she called to say that a video crew were in Birmingham and asked if they could call that evening to film us at our home. She appeared to relent on the fact that I did not agree with being linked to Atkins and we reached a compromise whereby I would be introduced as the author of Eat Fat, Get Thin! and be called "the English Dr Atkins". It wasn't ideal but I relented and agreed.
During the Interview, the presenter asked me how long I had been doing the Atkins diet. I stopped the interview and said that I had never done it. He changed the wording to Atkins-style and I foolishly let it go.
As you will know if you have read my Cancer Files, I have had cancer. It started when I was eating a conventional "healthy" diet (The full story is here.) Nevertheless a great deal was made of this at the interview.
After the interview was over and the crew had left, Monica and I had some serious misgivings about the way the interviews had gone. We didn't get much sleep that night. The following morning I wrote to the assistant producer:
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Dear Adam Please let Anna know that I have some misgivings about the interview last night for the programme on the Atkins diet. 1. Please note that at no time in our lives have Monica or I eaten the "Atkins" diet. Although the basic principles — low-carb, high-fat — are similar, there are significant differences. For example, Atkins insists on meal replacements and dietary supplements which, the way we eat, are unnecessary. 2. More importantly, Jonny Maitland seemed to press on about my cancer. That began during a five year period when I was commuting in the RAF and building our house. At that time, concerned only with weight, I actually ate what today would be classed a "healthy" diet. To reiterate, when I developed cancer, I was not on a low-carb diet. I feel, therefore, that the cancer I had is probably irrelevant in the concept of this programme. The full story of my cancer is at http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/why_me.html Yours sincerely Barry Groves, PhD Author of "Eat Fat, Get Thin!" http://www.second-opinions.co.uk |
I heard nothing, telephoned without success, and at 14:40 I followed this up with a second e-mail for the producer. Having taken professional advice, it was time to get more in writing:
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Dear Adam Would you please forward this e-mail to Anna Gravely as I am unable to reach her by telephone. Regards Barry Groves * * * * * * * * * * * * Dear Anna Please see the e-mail that I sent to Adam's e-mail address at 09:14 this morning about my misgivings after last night's interview. Further to that e-mail, and our conversations yesterday, I'm regret that I must make it a condition of Monica's and my permission for you to broadcast our part of the programme that I am sent, by e-mail, either a .WAV file or a written transcript of our part, when it has been edited, so that I may check for and correct any errors, words taken out of context or false impressions, either factually or by implication, before the broadcast. I will, of course, endeavour to discuss any amendments I feel necessary with you. I mean no disrespect to you as I am sure that you were honest with me yesterday, but regret that I have been misrepresented by the media in the past. This subject, to which I have dedicated over two decades of my life, is too important for people's health for them to be misled or misinformed. If you would prefer to call me, my number is ********. I will be available all today and tomorrow (Friday) until 18:00. Yours sincerely Barry Groves, PhD Author of "Eat Fat, Get Thin!" http://www.second-opinions.co.uk |
Still getting no reply I called the studio where the programme was being edited. We discussed my e-mails which the producer said she had only just received. I was told that I could not see the script as that was against GranadaMedia's policy, but was assured that I would be introduced with my credentials as we had agreed and that the programme was in all respects as I would wish. A asked to put it in writing and I would then give my permission also in writing. I received this e-mail shortly afterwards:
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Hi Barry, Further to our phone conversation - I would like to reassure you that the film does not include anything of you and Monica that you would constitute as defamatory. We introduce you as I told you on the phone (which is the way that we agreed, and you have the final say on the conversation about your experience with cancer (which you justify fully). Hope this is OK, as I said on the phone we can't give you the full script as it is against Granada Television's rules. Thanks very much for agreeing to take part - we all agreed that you both look fabulous! Best wishes Anna Glavey |
After that assurance, I agreed to take part.
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Hi Anna Thank you for that and our talk today. I hereby give my permission for you to use us in the programme. Best wishes Barry Groves, PhD http://www.second-opinions.co.uk |
It was very naive of me. Those of you who saw the programme will understand.
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From: "Katy" To: <Concise-Low-Carb-UK@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 10:51 PM Subject: [Concise-Low-Carb-UK] Re: Barry and Atkins on TV > Sadly, the impression I was left with after watching Barry & Monica's > (highly edited, I presume) snippet was that Barry, despite having a > (predictable - of course!!) brush with cancer, was still determined > to continue eating his "unhealthy" high fat diet! |
I now regret changing my decision to take part in the Tonight with Trevor Macdonald programme. The above e-mail explains why. The impression it left this writer with was just what I expected would happen — and which I was assured would not!
I had been assured that my concerns that I would be misrepresented or that the programme would give the false impression that we lived on and supported the "Atkins" diet were groundless. In fact, although I said both in writing and on camera that we have never eaten the Atkins way, the programme gave the impression that we did and also implied that we endorsed it. We do not, for the reasons Johnathon and the actress revealed in the programme: the headaches, feelings of lethargy, constipation, etc.
In my experience and opinion, the Atkins diet is not a safe diet in the induction phase. Johnathan Maitland's weight loss of 14 lbs in as many days was also not safe in my opinion. This rate of weight loss puts a huge strain on the body.
Despite the assurances, I was not introduced correctly. The captions under the two "experts" they had on the programme included their credentials. Mine just said "Barry and Monica Groves". We could have been anyone. Even though I was introduced as Dr Barry Groves, there was no indication that I had formal qualifications in this subject. I am a doctor of nutritional medicine, lecturer in diabetes, obesity and ischaemic heart disease to health professionals, and author of two popular books on low-carb slimming: The Calorie Fallacy, in 1994, and Eat Fat, Get Thin!, in 2000. I have also lived this way longer (as far as I am aware) than any one else in the UK, indeed, longer than Atkins, and have over twenty years full-time research experience in the role of nutrition in modern diseases. I regard myself as at least the equal of the "experts" on the "anti" side of the programme.
One of the anti "experts" was introduced as a Dr David Ashton of the Healthier Weight Centre, Birmingham. Put my name in any search engine and you will find me referred to all over the Internet. Do the same with Dr David Ashton and/or Healthier Weight Centre and you will get an episode of "The Food Programme" on BBC Radio 4 and a Saga Magazine article -- that's it!
Below are the first two e-mails I received after the programme. The first is typical of many I get -- and I give any advice in this way free (Johnathon Maitland was right in his remark about lbs or £s as far as Atkins was concerned). That includes about 3 hours a day sorting out the problems that Atkins dieters have -- and I do it for nothing.
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----- Original Message ----- From: christine To: barry@second-opinions.co.uk Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 9:21 PM Subject: low carb in type 2 diabetes i have just seen you on the television and would like to tell you that i agree with you entirely. i was diagnosed with diabetes(type 2) 9 years ago and for 5 years i followed the low fat high carb diet that my dietician recommended. my weight was never stable and i was always on a diet. i then read about low carbs. slowly i reduced my carb grams and my insulin until 15 months ago i stopped the insulin altogether. my bg is now always between 4 and 6 and my weight is stable at 7 stone 7. the dietician was horrified when i told her what i had done but now she sees that i was right. i guess i was a type 2 diabetic all along. without people like you i would not have the quality of life that i have now. thank you |
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----- Original Message ----- From: "John Whiting" <***@********> To: "GFW sparklist" <****@*********> Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 7:34 AM Subject: TV's hi-carb diet Last night ITV's half-hour on the the hi-fat lo-carb diet was of course centered around the lowest-common-denominator of the Atkins Diet. Its bias was apparent in the fact that the "antis" were presented as scientists, complete with their credentials, and photographed in a properly academic ambiance, while the "pro" evidence was exclusively anecdotal. For instance, Barry and Monica Groves were interviewed in their kitchen while preparing a meal -- a nice couple who seemed to have done OK on it. But not a word about the fact that Barry has a PhD in Nutritional Science, has written books and articles about his own diet (which differs significantly from Atkins), maintains a website full of relevant information and was last year's prize winner on this very subject at the Oxford Symposium. Nor was it made clear that all their food -- meat, dairy products and vegetables -- is organic and has been for years. In fact, just a tithe of the information omitted from the program would have been much more informative than what was included. But then, we're talking television -- lots of filler, not much nutrient. John |
Last updated 1June 2003
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