October 23, 2003 NEW YORK (AP) -- The Atkins Center, which was the medical practice of weight-loss author Dr. Robert C. Atkins, has closed, six months after his death.
Founded in 1960, the center closed Oct. 15. In addition to its weight-loss clinic, the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine also treated diabetes and cardiovascular ailments.
Atkins, 72, died in April from a head injury he suffered falling on a icy sidewalk. State law required that the center be sold or closed six months after his death.
Its acting director, Dr. Keith Berkowitz, said Wednesday that he was opening his own practice and would continue Atkins' health philosophy.
Atkins' best-selling low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet books have sold 15 million copies worldwide. The medical establishment had generally viewed his plan -- which emphasizes meat, eggs and cheese and discourages bread, rice and fruit -- with scorn. However, recent studies have shown that people on the diet lost weight without compromising their health.
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
