A New York Times article published in the 1990s encapsulated the fat-related hysteria of the day by recommending buttered movie popcorn come with a life insurance add-on. Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Atkins, creator of the Atkins diet, was touting a low-carb diet high in fat and ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. When Atkins died in 2003, his detractors were quick to blame his diet, even if that meant distorting the facts and breaching several codes of ethics.