Nathan Pritikin
{{Short description|American nutritionist and inventor (1915–1985)}}
{{Infobox writer
|name = Nathan Pritikin
|image = Nathan_Pritikin.png
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|birth_date = {{birth date|1915|8|28}}
|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois
|death_date = {{death date and age|1985|2|21|1915|8|29}}
|death_place = Albany, New York
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|citizenship =
|nationality = American
|ethnicity =
|genre = Nutrition
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|spouse = Ilene (1923–2009)
|children = 4 sons, 1 daughter
}}
Nathan Pritikin (August 29, 1915 – February 21, 1985) was an American inventor, engineer, nutritionist and longevity researcher.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-23-mn-1021-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Jones |first=Jack |title=Nathan Pritikin, crusader for fitness, kills himself |date=February 23, 1985|access-date=June 18, 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pVhWAAAAIBAJ&pg=5453%2C3642286 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |title=Nutritionist takes own life |agency=(wire reports) |date=February 23, 1985 |page=3}} He promoted the Pritikin diet, a high-carbohydrate low-fat plant-based diet combined with regular aerobic exercise to prevent cardiovascular disease.Vasudevan, Rajiv S; Rosander, Ashley; Pazargadi, Aryana; Wilkinson, Michael J. "Plant-based Diets in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease". In Michael J. Wilkinson, Michael S. Garshick, Pam R. Taub. (2021). Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease Nutritional and Dietary Approaches. Springer. pp. 103–104. {{ISBN|978-3-030-78176-7}} The Pritikin diet emphasizes the consumption of legumes, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and non-fat dairy products with small amounts of lean meat, fowl and fish.Ronzio, Robert A. (2003). The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health. Facts On File. p. 532. {{ISBN|978-0816066308}}
Biography
The eldest son born to Jacob and Ester, Pritikin was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He was given a scholarship to the University of Chicago and attended from 1933 to 1935, dropping out because of the Depression and starting his own business Flash Foto.[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20090134,00.html When His Health Deserted Him, Diet and Fitness Guru Nathan Pritikin Turned to Suicide], by Eleanor Hoover, People Magazine, March 11, 1985 [https://web.archive.org/web/20110224022243/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20090134,00.html Internet Archive] He became an inventor and a millionaire developing patents for companies such as Honeywell, General Electric and Bendix while living in Chicago. He later moved the company to Santa Barbara, California in the 1950s. Pritikin retired in 1966 and devoted his attention solely to longevity and nutritional research. He established the Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Barbara in 1976 which later moved to Santa Monica.[https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/04/garden/personal-health-028477.html "Personal Health"]. nytimes.com. Retrieved 20 November 2023. It closed in 1997 and became the Hotel Casa del Mar. The Pritikin Longevity Center then located in Miami. His son Robert was the head of Pritikin Research Foundation.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-09-vw-12738-story.html "Pritikin Son Carries On Crusade : A Firm Believer in Diet’s Influence on Heart Health"]. latimes.com. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
Pritikin Diet
In 1958, Pritikin was diagnosed with "coronary artery insufficiency (without symptoms) secondary to an exercise electrocardiogram".[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-08-18-8502240020-story.html "Pritikin Truly Lived His Diet"]. chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024. By diet and exercise he was able to reduce his cholesterol level.
His dietary and exercise regime is called the Pritikin diet or Pritikin Program.[https://web.archive.org/web/20240122183735/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1985/02/27/death-by-choice/ac540601-5621-4dc5-b8ab-96d297a57df6/ "Death by Choice"]. washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.{{cite book |author=Alters S, Schiff W|title=Essential Concepts for Healthy Living |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VegUiVbruBMC&pg=PA327 |date=22 February 2012 |publisher=Jones & Bartlett Publishers |isbn=978-1-4496-3062-1 |page=327 |edition=Sixth |chapter=Chapter 10: Body Weight and Its Management}} He charged patients $6000 for several weeks of the Program at his Pritikin center.
The Pritikin diet is low in cholesterol and sodium and in total is 5–10% fat, 10–15% protein and 80% carbohydrate.Leddy, Susan. (2006). Integrative Health Promotion: Conceptual Bases for Nursing Practice. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. pp. 434–435. {{ISBN|0-7637-3840-9}} Protein consumption is limited to 3.5 ounces of lean meat daily which reduces total cholesterol and fat intake. The Pritikin diet has been described as a low-fat high-fiber plant-based diet. On the Pritikin diet there are several food categories, the "go" foods, the "caution" foods and the "stop" foods. The "go" foods that are encouraged are fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, non-fat dairy products, fish and lean protein such as white skinless poultry and tofu. The caution foods include refined grains, refined sweeteners and salt. The foods to be totally avoided are those rich in saturated fat, organ meats, processed meats, eggs yolks and vegetable oils.
Pritikin promoted his diet to prevent and treat atherosclerosis, diabetes, gout, high-blood pressure and other diseases.{{cite journal|year=1982|author=Willis, Judith|title=Diet Books Sell Well But...|journal=FDA Consumer|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c028877895&view=1up&seq=71&skin=2021|volume=16|issue=|pages=14–17}} The Pritikin Program has been authorized as a cardiac rehabilitation program by Medicare.[https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx?proposed=Y&ncaid=239 "Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) Program – Pritikin Program"]. cms.gov. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
=Reception=
Dietitians and nutritionists have classified the Pritikin diet as a fad diet due to its restrictive nature and unsubstantiated health claims.{{cite journal |title=The Pritikin program: Claims vs. facts |year=1982 |journal=Consumer Reports |volume=47 |issue=10 |pages=513–518}}Stare, Fredrick J. (1985). Food for Fitness After Fifty: A Menu for Good Health in the Later Years. George F. Stickley Company. p. 45. pp. 88–89. {{ISBN|978-0-89313-048-0}}Wexler, Barbara. (2008). Weight in America: Obesity, Eating Disorders, and Other Health Risks. Gale Group. pp. 72–77. {{ISBN|978-1414407821}}
Some of Pritikin's dietary recommendations are in line with mainstream nutritional advice such as emphasizing vegetable consumption and restricting alcohol but his claims about his Program reversing atherosclerosis are not supported by clinical evidence.Yetiv, Jack Z. (1988). Popular Nutritional Practices: Sense and Nonsense. Dell Publishing. p. 300. {{ISBN|978-0440200468}}Berland, Theodore. (1983). Rating the Diets. Beekman House. pp. 96–101. {{ISBN|0-517-40839-2}} He was also criticized for making false statements such as "almost any amount of sugar is too much".
The American Medical Association have questioned the effectiveness of the diet for the diseases it is supposed to prevent and have warned that the lower calcium and iron intake may make it unsuitable for pregnant women. In 1985, Columbia University’s Institute of Human Nutrition suggested that the Pritikin Program may provide inadequate sources of calcium, copper and zinc.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-21-fo-844-story.html "Recognizing the Fallacies of Fad Diets : They Can Produce Malnutrition, Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms"]. latimes.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
Frederick J. Stare commented that the Pritikin diet is an "extremely restrictive plan" that is difficult to adhere to long-term and suggested that the diet may increase the risk of iron deficiency. He stated that the diet recommended by the American Medical Association is nutritionally balanced and more practical than the Pritikin diet. Alice H. Lichtenstein has suggested that the diet may be time consuming to plan and prepare meals and that there is a risk of fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies as the diet is extremely low in fat.Lichenstein, Alice H; Chait, Alan; Rosenfeld, Michael E. Dietary Effects on Cardiovascular Risk Factors. In Peter W. F. Wilson. (2013). Atlas of Atherosclerosis: Risk Factors and Treatment. Current Medicine Group. p. 162. {{ISBN|978-1461564843}}
A 2023 review found that the Pritikin diet had no significant impact on all-cause mortality or cardiovascular outcomes.{{cite journal|author=Karam G, Agarwal A, Sadeghirad B, Jalink M, Hitchcock CL, Ge L, Kiflen R, Ahmed W, Zea AM, Milenkovic J, Chedrawe MA, Rabassa M, El Dib R, Goldenberg JZ, Guyatt GH, Boyce E, Johnston BC.|year=2023|title=Comparison of seven popular structured dietary programmes and risk of mortality and major cardiovascular events in patients at increased cardiovascular risk: systematic review and network meta analysis|journal=BMJ|volume=380|issue=|pages=e072003|doi=10.1136/bmj-2022-072003|pmid=36990505 |pmc=10053756}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20230330210748/https://www.tctmd.com/news/mediterranean-low-fat-diets-both-good-health-network-meta-analysis "Mediterranean, Low-Fat Diets Both Good for Health: Network Meta-analysis"]. tctmd.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
Death
Pritikin was diagnosed with leukemia in 1958, and it had been in remission until early 1980s when he began to suffer severe pain and complications from the disease and associated treatments. Despite this he was fully active until a few weeks before death. He committed suicide at Albany Medical Center on {{nowrap|February 21, 1985.}} Per a letter to the editor, at autopsy it is claimed that there was a near absence of atherosclerosis (only some fatty streaks), and that the heart's pumping function was completely uncompromised.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-07-04-vw-9280-story.html|title=Autopsy of Pritikin May Renew Debate|date=1985-07-04|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-23}}{{cite journal |last1=Hubbard |first1=JD |last2=Inkeles |first2=S |last3=Barnard |first3=RJ |title=Nathan Pritikin's Heart |journal=The New England Journal of Medicine |date=4 July 1985 |volume=313 |issue=1 |page=52 |doi=10.1056/NEJM198507043130119 |pmid=3889648 }}
Selected publications
Articles
- Pritikin, Nathan. (1976). High Carbohydrate Diets: Maligned and Misunderstood. The Journal of Applied Nutrition 28 (3&4): 56-68.{{Cite web |url=https://www.drmcdougall.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Pritikin.pdf |title=High Carbohydrate Diets: Maligned and Misunderstood|access-date=2019-06-27 |archive-date=2016-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201134758/https://www.drmcdougall.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Pritikin.pdf |url-status=dead }}
Books
- Live Longer Now: The First One Hundred Years of Your Life: The 2100 Program. Grosset & Dunlap. {{ISBN|0-448-11504-2}} co-authored with Jon N. Leonard and Jack L. Hofer (1974).
- The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise. Bantam. {{ISBN|978-0553271928}} co-authored with Patrick M. McGrady (1979).
- The Pritikin Permanent Weight Loss Manual. Bantam. {{ISBN|0553204947}} (1981).
- The Pritikin Promise: 28 Days to a Longer, Healthier Life. Simon & Schuster. {{ISBN|978-0671494476}} (1983).
- Diet for Runners: The High-Performance Diet that Gives You Supercharged Energy and Endurance {{ISBN|978-0671556235}} (1985).
- Pritikin: The Man Who Healed America's Heart {{ISBN|0-87857-732-7}} Tom Monte, Ilene Pritikin (1987).
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt6h4nc7rg/ Nathan Pritikin papers – Online Archive California]
{{Plant-based diets}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers
Category:American health and wellness writers
Category:American nutritionists
Category:High-fiber diet advocates
Category:Longevity researchers
Category:Plant-based diet advocates
Category:Pseudoscientific diet advocates