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NEWS: In brief BMJ 2004; 329: 366 [Full text]

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Atkins diet and review by NICE

Mike Kelly   (1 September 2004)

Atkins diet and review by NICE 1 September 2004
Mike Kelly, Director of Evidence and Guidance Health Development Agency, Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London, WC!V 6RQ Send response to journal: Re: Atkins diet and review by NICE	The In Brief section of the BMJ dated 14-8-04 stated that the Aktins diet and the diet industry is to come under review by NICE. The Health Development Agency (HDA) and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are indeed working together for the first time to develop guidance on the prevention and management of obesity in children and adults. However, the Scope for the work – which is freely available to all on the NICE website (www.nice.nhs.uk) – demonstrates that the focus of this work is broad and does not include a particular investigation into low carbohydrate diets (or indeed any other particular weight loss strategy). As with any other issue being considered by the Guideline Development Group for this work, the role of lower carbohydrate diets will only be considered if there is evidence of effectiveness. Atkins Nutritional Approach are merely one of 167 stakeholders who have formally registered to participate in this work. The procedures to which NICE adhere and to which the HDA will work within are well established and are designed to ensure that all stakeholders are treated openly and fairly and that they have an equal opportunity to comment on the development of the guidance and to submit relevant evidence. Competing interests: None declared