Day 298 - 11 Nov 96 - Page 40


     
     1        their advertising.  That was on page 17, line 11.
     2
     3        There was reference to the figures given in the report for
     4        lowering the sodium intake, which would result in a
     5        lowering of blood pressure.  The report stated
     6        that: "Extensive data from prospective population studies
     7        indicated that such improvements in average systolic levels
     8        could substantially reduce rates of major cardiovascular
     9        diseases and mortality from all causes."
    10
    11        Obviously, if you can substantially reduce rates of major
    12        cardiovascular diseases and mortality rates, then if you do
    13        not make those reductions in sodium intake, then you are
    14        leading to the very real risk that people will die from
    15        such diseases or suffer from such diseases.  That was page
    16        17, line 20.
    17
    18        Then the figures went on and became more specific -- and
    19        I think this was around about line 49 -- that even a modest
    20        change in average blood pressure could have important
    21        effects, that, at aged 55, the blood pressure difference
    22        for 100 millimols per 24 hour sodium difference is about 10
    23        millimetres HG systolic or 5 millimetres HG diastolic, and
    24        that this was associated with 34 percent difference in
    25        mortality from stroke and a 21 percent difference in
    26        mortality from heart disease; and the report said that
    27        excess dietary salt is a serious public health hazard.  So,
    28        clearly, that has got to be a very real risk.
    29
    30        Then we asked Miss Brophy about the meanings that you had
    31        ruled on, and she said, on page 23, line 46, that if you
    32        have an unhealthy diet then you would have a very real risk
    33        that you could suffer from cancer of the breast or bowel or
    34        heart disease as a result.
    35
    36        She went on to say that she considered that if there was
    37        not a very real risk, then she would not have the job that
    38        she has; that she was employed in the NHS as part of --
    39        well, she was employed as part of the NHS to give people
    40        information -- health professionals -- information on diet
    41        and disease for the public -- sorry, for further
    42        distribution to the public.  In her view, large numbers of
    43        people would obviously be affected; otherwise, why would
    44        the government want to promote a healthy diet; and that the
    45        government wanted to promote a healthy diet partly because
    46        of good health in itself, but also because it would save
    47        the NHS considerable amounts of money if the population was
    48        healthier.
    49
    50        Finally, she said that there were -----
    51
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Was that the same reference, page 22?
    53
    54   MS. STEEL:   Page 23.  It is all on page 23.  She said that
    55        there were large numbers of the population for whom there
    56        was a real risk, or there is a real risk.
    57
    58        We asked her to comment on the statement in McDonald's own
    59        pamphlet which asserted that "every time you eat at
    60        McDonald's, you would be eating good, nutritious food".

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