Atkins diet company goes belly up

THE company that promoted the low-carb Atkins diet and sparked a worldwide craze has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US.

Atkins Nutritionals took the step after people wanting to lose weight increasingly turned their backs on a diet that focused on cutting out foods such as bread and pasta in favour of protein-rich meat and cheese.

The company was set up in 1989 by Dr Robert Atkins and the diet gained international fame after a host of celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Geri Halliwell claimed it helped them stay trim.