Day 269 - 25 Jun 96 - Page 48


     
     1        the next two sentences:
     2
     3        "Colon cancer rates in Finland are amongst the lowest in
     4        developed countries.  There is an overruling ingredient in
     5        all Scandinavian countries, including Finland.  The Finnish
     6        population however is unique in this respect because in
     7        Finland the total dietary fat is similar to countries with
     8        a high rate of colon cancer.  Yet the incidence of large
     9        bowel cancer is low."
    10
    11        And then there is a table over the page, two pages on,
    12        table 1.  I am not going to go into the detail of that but
    13        from which you at a glance would be able to see --
    14        A.  Yes.
    15
    16   Q.   -- that the dietary fat intake of the Finns was in fact
    17        greater than that of --
    18        A.   Yes.
    19
    20   Q.   If I can read the print properly.  Do you agree?
    21        A.   I agree.
    22
    23   Q.   The distinguishing feature between the two populations, and
    24        this is the sort of epidemiological evidence which you have
    25         --
    26
    27   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Well, the Finns was slightly less, was it
    28        not?
    29
    30   MR. RAMPTON:  Oh, was it?  Maybe I miscounted.
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It might be thought to be pretty well
    33        comparable.
    34
    35   MR. RAMPTON:  Your Lordship is quite right.  It was three grams
    36        per day less.  But do you agree that those are very
    37        comparable figures?
    38        A.  They are comparable figures but the source of dietary
    39        fats are different.
    40
    41   Q.   That is perfectly right, but the greater proportion in the
    42        Finns came from dairy products, did it not?
    43        A.  Yes, they were actually, at that time or prior to that
    44        time the characteristic of the Finnish diet was that they
    45        were the highest butterfat consumers in the world.
    46
    47   Q.   Yes, and that carries a lot of saturated fat?
    48        A.   It does indeed.
    49
    50   Q.   Do you agree then that the distinguishing feature, what is
    51        remarkable, whatever the reason for it, but what is
    52        remarkable about this is that with a similar intake of
    53        saturated fat --
    54        A.   Yes.
    55
    56   Q.   -- the Finns appear to have had significantly lower rates
    57        of colon cancer?
    58        A.   Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   And that appears to have been related - and I say

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