Dr. Robert Atkins: After growing up in a family that owned a chain of restaurants, Atkins realized he needed to lose weight. He developed a controversial diet that restricts carbohydrate intake. In 1972, his diet craze swept the nation and remains a popular weight loss option. Dr. Atkins died in 2003, allegedly from slipping on an icy sidewalk. However, rumors continue to run rampant that a heart condition was the actual cause of death.