Day 297 - 08 Nov 96 - Page 23
1 1994 that "poor diet can contribute to coronary heart
2 disease, cancer", and so on. Day 30, page 63.
3
4 Professor Crawford -- who, as you may remember, was a
5 consultant to the World Health Organisation, and an expert
6 on dietary fats and disease -- in his examination-in-chief
7 went through the history of linking diet to cancer, and he
8 started with Doll in the '50s. So the history of the links
9 go back a long way. In the '80s, Carroll published
10 epidemiological graphs which showed that the same countries
11 that had a high incidence of breast and colon cancer also
12 had high mortalities from heart disease. Day 31, page 67.
13 The mortality from heart disease was closely associated
14 with the amount of saturated fat eaten and, essentially,
15 the same kind of evidence appeared for cancer. That was
16 day 31, page 8. Professor Crawford agreed that it was a
17 reasonable conclusion on the epidemiological evidence to
18 say that the increase in heart disease and cancer is due to
19 the consumption of a diet which we are not physiologically
20 adapted to as it is much higher in fat and saturated fat.
21 Professor Crawford -----
22
23 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Is that the same -----
24
25 MS. STEEL: Sorry, day 31, page 12.
26
27 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Thank you.
28
29 MS. STEEL: Professor Crawford disagreed that there was no
30 compelling evidence that cancer was either caused or
31 promoted by aspects of the diet. He argued that the
32 epidemiological evidence demonstrated parallels with heart
33 disease. That was day 31, page 19.
34
35 In response to criticism as to the reliability of
36 epidemiological evidence, Professor Crawford stated that he
37 felt confident that the reported statistics were reflective
38 and the evidence had been consistent for a number of
39 years. That was day 31, pages 20 to 22.
40
41 He said that strong experimental evidence has led several
42 authors to conclude that in experimental situations high
43 fat diets will promote cancer and heart disease and diets
44 rich in N3 fatty acids will protect against it. That was
45 day 31, page 27.
46
47 He referred to the conference held by the Swedish Medical
48 Society in Stockholm in 1986, which was an international
49 conference, and there was a consensus there that
50 recommendations prudent for prevention of heart disease and
51 cancer would be similar. He supported the strength of the
52 evidence in the Scottish report as it is unbiased. That
53 was day 31, page 28.
54
55 At the NATO conference or at a NATO conference in 1986 it
56 was recommended that it is undesirable for countries to
57 transfer their principles of food technology and
58 agriculture to other countries in which cardiovascular
59 disease, breast or colon cancer are not at this time a
60 problem. That was day 31, page 31. Obviously that is what
