Created in 1970, the diet has recently resurfaced. The diet is specifically "a carbohydrate intake restricted diet" (Alt). The diet is known to the professional world as a type of ketogenic diet, which means that the diet results in a process called ketosis.

The diet is based on a book entitled Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, written by Dr. Robert C. Atkins. The book was originally published in 1972, and has recently been republished in 1992, 1999, and 2002 under a new name: Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. (You can find more information about the creator of the diet on the Atkins official website).

According to USENET's low-carbohydrate diet newsgroup online:

The diet focuses on limited consumption of carbohydrates less than 20g a day for the first 2 weeks of the diet, referred to as Induction, after which [the dieter is] encouraged to gradually increase the daily intake of carbohydrate grams until reaching a level that allows [him] to still lose weight. Once at goal weight [the dieter] increase(s) [his] carbohydrate grams until finding the level [at] which [he] can maintain [his] desired weight.

To find out more information concerning the different stages of the diet, consult the Atkins center.