Amazon.com (ISBN 0060540087, Hardcover)

Two colleagues of the late Dr. Robert Atkins take on the obesity epidemic's deadly twin: type 2 diabetes. Dr. Mary Vernon and Jacqueline Eberstein, RN, adapt the carb-cutting, fat-allowing Atkins nutritional approach as a preemptive strike against this fast-growing killer. Diabetes--defined here as a condition in which glucose or blood sugar is above the normal range--is viewed as a preventable problem. "What we hope we have created in this book is a realistic and practical guide to wiping out type 2, one person at a time." Since obesity is the major risk factor for diabetes, they begin with the "fat lie" (i.e., the belief that fat causes obesity) to voice the Atkins mantra: low fat means high carbs and high carbs are broken down into sugar. With a convincing mix of essay/picture testimonials, clinical studies, quizzes, checklists, and menu planners and recipes, Vernon and Eberstein make the case for diet and lifestyle changes to alter the metabolism of those at risk for diabetes. They have done a yeoman's job of translating Atkins's medical nutrition advice into a step-by-step program. One can quibble about their missionary zeal or the omnipresent eggs in the breakfast sample menus. At times, the scientific data are overly detailed or hidden within a quiz. Thankfully, there is a spot-on summary of the book's paradigm-busting ideas in the appendix. -- Barbara Mackoff