The low-carbohydrate diet craze that has forced traditional foods, such as Coca-Cola and Burger King Whoppers, to cut down on carbs has led Marquette to offer similar low-carb options.

"Atkins and different types of diets are popular right now," said Michael Obradovich, director of residence dining.

According to Jerry Dohr, the general manager of Sodexho Campus Services, the Atkins diet and other low-carb diets peaked in popularity in the middle of last year.

"What we're trying to do in response to that, as with any other trend, is to provide students with choices," Dohr said.

Recent additions to dining hall selections reflect the popularity of such diets.

"We've done much more salads (and) hot top protein salads," Obradovich said. "We've done some things with wraps which are very popular. Last year we did some things with low-carb bread."

The low-carb bread is baked on campus. Other new options include steamed versus starched vegetables, and new salads such as the chicken Caesar salad.

Because students see their food being prepared, they can make requests to cut the carbohydrates, such as requesting a hamburger without a bun.

"The customers have much more of an input in how something is being made,"

Obradovich said.

Dohr said because the medical community lacks a consensus on how healthy low-carb diets are, Sodexho is "hesitant to steer someone in one direction or another.

"We just try to provide students with information and choices," he said.

Students following low-carb diets will have options when trying to cut carbohydrates in the dining halls, but the difficulty of that task will depend on the individual.

"I think if you're making a point to diet it would be really hard (to eat in the dining halls), but if you just want something that won't put grease in your mouth it would be fine," freshman Claire Beer said of the new dining hall selections.

Restaurants near campus also have unveiled low-carb alternatives.

Subway offers a low-carb selection of wraps, salads and carbohydrate-free condiments.

"It's been picking up, more and more," said Subway Manager Ronald Schook about the demand for low-carb foods.

Cousin's Subs also offers low-carb selections, including tortilla wraps and bowls. But according to Cousin's General Manager Michele Bachmann, not as many people are taking advantage of the offer as she had expected.

"There are the wraps but they're still eating bread," Bachmann said. "We do have a lot of people eating low-fat."

She said customers more often eat low-fat foods instead of low-carb foods.

"Things come around full circle," Dohr said. "We're starting to see now a little bit of a swing away from" low-carb diets.

Freshman Kathleen Grusenski doubts many students, if any, will stick to a low-carb diet.

"I haven't met anyone our age on the Atkins diet," Grusenski said. "I think it's going to get less popular."