Dr Robert Atkins, father of the controversial Atkins diet, was obese and suffered from heart problems, according to the coroner's report available with The Times, London.
The 72-year-old diet guru died last April due to a head injury sustained from a fall while walking.
According to the paper the report was mistakenly released by New York's chief medical examiner to a person who passed it on to an anti-Atkins group -- Physicians Council for Responsible Medicine. The groups favours vegetarianism to control weight gain.
The report said Atkins had a history of congestive heart failure and hypertension. At 6ft tall, Atkins weighed 258 pounds at the time of his death. According to the US government's body-mass index calculator Atkins was not only overweight, but obese too.
Critics have been quick to pounce on the leaked report alleging that Atkins' heart problems may have been due to the high fat content of his controversial diet. His diet recommends a protein-rich, low carbohydrate regimen.
While millions, who took up the regimen, favoured meat and cheese over potatoes and bread, critics dubbed the emphasis on fat and protein as unhealthy.
Veronica, his widow, vehemently rejected the allegation, pleading for privacy. "The release of the records is an attempt to twist and pervert the truth to destroy the reputation and great work of my late husband," she said.
The report also confirmed that Atkins died from a 'blunt impact injury of head' after slipping on ice outside his office in Manhattan. But the report also contains handwritten notes mentioning Atkins history of 'MI' -- myocardial infarction-- 'CHF' -- congestive heart failure -- and hypertension.
Veronica said Atkins had developed a heart muscle disease, cardiomyopathy, about three years before he died. "Cardiomyopathy is a serious and progressive condition and was, I have been told, in Robert's case caused by a viral infection. Though this condition significantly weakened his heart, its cause was clearly related to an infection and not his diet," she said.
"I have been assured by my husband's physicians that my husband's health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet or any diet," she added.
Atkins' supporters attributed his weight at the time of his death to fluid retention.
But Jeanne Stuart McVey of the Physicians Council for Responsible Medicine told The Times: "We believe those things were caused by his diet. There are stacks and stacks of scientific articles that link heart disease to a high-fat diet. The Atkins diet is the perfect diet to give people heart disease. It's very telling."
Agencies
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