Day 035 - 12 Oct 94 - Page 17
1 40 to 30, that is not enough from your point of view?
2 A. The weight of the evidence suggests that we will do
3 far better if the fat intake is lower and if other dietary
4 changes accompany that, which is an opinion. The 30 per
5 cent figure has a scientific element and also a political
6 element as some of the documents that came out yesterday
7 revealed, perhaps, that the food industry and others have
8 lobbied to keep it as high as possible. I regret to say
9 that has affected the guidelines of major policy making
10 organisations. It has left some of their scientists and
11 spokespersons in a rather awkward position.
12
13 Q. It goes on Dr. Barnard -- this is about mutagens --
14 "Scientists are trying to learn more about the
15 cancer-causing potential of substances known as mutagens
16 that are present in our food. They know that mutagens
17 change the genetic make-up (DNA) of cells and that certain
18 mutagens in food cause cancer in laboratory animals". So
19 far you and I agree about that. "Scientists have found
20 that some groups of people who consume a 'typical Western'
21 (high-fat/low-fibre) diet have higher levels of mutagens
22 in their stools and also have an increased risk of colon
23 cancer. However, a cause-and-effect relationship has not
24 been established, and specific mutagens that might be
25 responsible for such a relationship have not been
26 identified.
27
28 Other dietary factors under study include compounds
29 produced when the body breaks down protein; certain
30 nitrogen-containing compounds; and chemicals produced by
31 frying, smoking, or grilling meat and fish. Certain
32 dietary mutagens are produced when food, especially meat,
33 is cooked at high temperatures. Further studies of a
34 possible link between these mutagens and colorectal cancer
35 are planned. If such a link is proven, researchers may
36 eventually be able to find ways to block the formation or
37 action of these or other dietary mutagens. At present,
38 people can decrease their intake of these substances by
39 lowering cooking temperatures and wrapping food in foil to
40 reduce direct contact with flames or smoke.
41
42 Researchers are also trying to determine whether specific
43 dietary components can inhibit the development of cancer
44 in humans. Researchers have shown that increased levels of
45 certain vitamins and minerals can reduce the number of
46 colon cancers in animals. However, they have not
47 determined whether increased amounts of these nutrients
48 can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in humans."
49
50 Dr. Barnard, at any rate in 1991, maybe not to the same
51 extent now, calcium was proposed as a possible inhibitor
52 of colorectal cancer, was it not?
53 A. Yes, there has been some research on that issue.
54
55 Q. To some extent traces of selenium too, is that right?
56 A. Selenium has been looked at in a number of studies,
57 yes.
58
59 Q. Dr. Barnard, the overall question which I have to put to
60 you is this: This document, which comes from your
