DIETS Atkins' widow pays tribute to her late husband

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
NEW YORK -- The widow of Dr. Robert Atkins paid tribute to her diet-doctor hubby on the first anniversary of his death this week -- and said his low-carbohydrate eating plan has changed the world forever.
In a letter to carb-conscious fans that's about to be posted on the Atkins Web site, Veronica Atkins thanked dieters and predicted her husband will go down in history as a medical revolutionary.
"My husband actually has helped change the way the world eats for the better," wrote Veronica Atkins, 66. "He actually has driven millions of people to a more balanced and healthful diet."
Robert Atkins, 72, died April 17, 2003, from injuries he suffered when he slipped on a patch of ice near his East Side office.
His death didn't slow the explosion in popularity of Atkins' low-carb, high-fat road map to a slimmer waistline.
Three decades after Atkins' first diet book, millions of dieters are gobbling up butter-dripping steaks and bunless burgers, even though the medical establishment still clucks about possible health risks.
Veronica Atkins made no mention of the controversy over her husband's weight when he died.
An autopsy report said the diet doctor tipped the scales at a whopping 258 pounds when he died, prompting a raft of "Fatkins" headlines. But doctors said he gained most of the extra weight while lying in a coma.