Day 254 - 22 May 96 - Page 60


     
     1
     2   MR. MORRIS:  If McDonald's are ----
     3
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is a defamation action.
     5
     6   MR. MORRIS:  If McDonald's are spending $1.8 billion every year
     7        promoting unhealthy food ----
     8
     9   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am sorry, this has just become a platform
    10        for making ex cathedra statements.  This is your
    11        opportunity to cross-examine Dr. Arnott.
    12
    13   MS. STEEL:   You have agreed that overweight is a substantial
    14        risk factor in the development of cancer, yes?
    15        A.  What we do know for certain is that when people develop
    16        cancer, if they are overweight then their outlook is worse
    17        than if they were not overweight, and there is a suggestion
    18        that obesity may well be a factor in the development of
    19        certain cancers.
    20
    21   Q.   You mean before it is diagnosed?
    22        A.  Yes.
    23
    24   Q.   Right.  If people are to increase their fruit and vegetable
    25        intake without over-eating and becoming overweight, then
    26        they need to cut out other things in their diet such as
    27        fat?
    28        A.  Well, that actually does not follow because the number
    29        of calories per gram of fruit and vegetables is very small,
    30        and that, if you are on a diet and wanting to lose weight,
    31        is one of the advantages and why many diets actually
    32        recommend that a high intake of fruit and vegetables
    33        because of their low calorie content.
    34
    35   Q.   Right, but you would still need to cut down on the amount
    36        of fats in your diet to make up for the increased calorie
    37        intake from fruit and vegetables?
    38        A.  No.  That does not follow, I am afraid.  As I say,
    39        there are very few calories in fruit and vegetables.  If
    40        one is trying to avoid people becoming obese, then
    41        obviously one does give advice about cutting down on foods
    42        which are high in calories.
    43
    44   Q.   In the conclusions about fat on page 33 it says:
    45
    46        "Although there is a body of evidence associating total fat
    47        intake with cancer at a number of sites, for example,
    48        colon, breasts and so on, the evidence is far from clear.
    49        For example, at all sites there is an equally strong
    50        association with total energy intake and it is not clear 
    51        which of these two is a primary factor", so even here Dr. 
    52        Hill, is it, or Professor hill, maybe it is not either, 
    53        I do not know.
    54
    55   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  We do not know at the moment.
    56
    57   MS. STEEL:  Is saying that one of the two is a primary factor,
    58        yes?
    59        A.  I suppose what he is actually saying is that because of
    60        the consistency of the association, his conclusion is that

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