by SARAH HARRIS, Daily Mail

British supermarkets are shunning new Atkins Diet food products following a series of health scares.

Atkins Nutritionals, the U.S. company behind the controversial weight loss regime, aims to launch its branded low-carbohydrate products here next year.

The range, which includes bread mix, breakfast bars, sauces and crisps, has proved extremely lucrative in the U.S., with annual sales of £64million.

It is available in 30,000 stores there, including the Wal-Mart chain and health shops.

But there is now mounting concern over the possible dangers of the highfat, high-protein and low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet, used by stars such as Jennifer Aniston and millions of people in Britain and worldwide.

Major UK retailers say they are not planning to stock the products. Sainsbury's warned that low-carbohydrate diets go against healthy eating advice and can be harmful in the long-term.

Waitrose said it encourages customers to make their own choices and enjoy a balanced diet.

Sainsbury's dietician Kate Arthur said: 'Sainsbury's supports the current UK dietary guidelines that suggest including plenty of starchy rich fruit and vegetables, with moderate-amounts of lean protein and lower fat dairy foods.

'Carbohydrates such as bread, cereals and potatoes provide energy as well as important B vitamins, iron and fibre so eating a low carbohydrate diet may mean your diet is being nutritionally compromised.'

Safeway said it would not be stocking the Atkins products while Tesco said: 'We do not endorse any specific diet. Our aim is to offer customers a wide choice of foods to help them eat a healthy balanced diet'.

Somerfield and Boots said they had no plans to stock the Atkins products and Holland & Barrett has not yet decided. Asda, which is owned by WalMart, also said no decision had been made.

Atkins Nutritionals denied the foods were being snubbed but refused to name the UK stores with which they are negotiating.

A spokesman said: 'Our experience is that the public and retailers are very keen to have the brands over here.'

Invented 30 years ago by cardiologist Dr Robert Atkins, the phenomenally lar diet is based on the theory that cutting carbohydrate intake alters the body chemistry, turning it from a carbohydrate-burning machine into one that burns fat.

Dr Atkins, who died earlier this year, made the majority of his multi-million pound fortune from the nutritional supplements.

The Atkins Diet book has sold 1.1million copies here since it was published in 1999.

The updated paperback version, released in January, is selling 120,000 a month.

The runaway success of the Atkins industry has been blamed for a slump in sales of pasta, potatoes and rival slimming products on both sides of the Atlantic.

But experts in the U.S. and Britain have branded the diet potentially dangerous and scientifically incorrect.

British doctors have blamed it for a worrying increase in the problem of constipation - a key factor in causing bowel cancer. Other dangers are said to include kidney problems.

Earlier this month it was revealed that the diet may have been a factor in the death of 16-year-old Rachel Huskey, from Missouri.

Atkins Nutritionals denies that there are health risks.