Day 270 - 28 Jun 96 - Page 54


     
     1        is that these fats tend to be avidly incorporated by
     2        certain 'scavenger' cells known as macrophages.  As they
     3        continue to engulf blood fats, macrophages become larger
     4        and may eventually deposit on the lining of blood vessels
     5        including the coronary arteries which supply blood to the
     6        heart.  Therefore, persistent amounts of blood fat derived
     7        from a long standing diet high in total and saturated fat
     8        may accelerate hardening of the arteries (also referred to
     9        as atherosclerosis) and lead to a heart attack, stroke or
    10        death.  Food products that contain excess amounts of
    11        saturated fats may therefore be important contributors to
    12        this process.  Such products include hamburgers,
    13        cheeseburgers, deep fried foods and ice-cream, all of which
    14        are readily available in fast food outlets such as
    15        McDonald's.
    16             I hope that this information has been helpful.  I am
    17        also enclosing a copy of our abstract.  If I can be of any
    18        additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact
    19        me.  Good luck and best wishes", and it is signed by
    20        Dr. Michael Miller, Assistant Professor of Medicine.
    21
    22        The next one is from Dr. Vogel.
    23
    24   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think he is probably a professor because he
    25        holds a particular chair, whereas Dr. Miller is Assistant
    26        Professor.  So maybe we should call him Professor Vogel.
    27
    28   MR. MORRIS:  Okay, yes.  So this is from Professor Vogel,
    29        Professor Robert A. Vogel, V-O-G-E-L, MD, Herbert Berger,
    30        Professor of Medicine, Head, Division of Cardiology,
    31        University of Maryland, School of Medicine, and this is
    32        dated 14th May, 1996.  It is addressed to me:
    33
    34        "Dear Mr. Morris, I am sending you an abstract summarizing
    35        a scientific study my group presented at the American
    36        College of Cardiology meetings held in Orlando, Florida
    37        during May 1996.  Our study covers the effect of eating a
    38        high fat (50 gram) breakfast obtained at McDonald's on
    39        endothelial function, which is thought to be the initial
    40        factor in the development of coronary heart disease.  The
    41        study was undertaken to better elucidate the mechanism by
    42        which a high fat diet leads to the development of coronary
    43        and other atherosclerosis.  One clearly established
    44        mechanism is that high fat meals increase the body's serum
    45        cholesterol.  This leads to the development of
    46        atherosclerosis.  Our data show that an additional direct
    47        pathway exists as well.  In contrast to a low fat breakfast
    48        (cereal, skimmed milk), the high fat diet led to a 50 per
    49        cent reduction in endothelial function as manifest by a
    50        reduction in high blood flow dilatability (flow-mediated 
    51        vasoactivity) within two hours of eating.  In addition to 
    52        initiating the atherosclerotic process, this mechanism may 
    53        also be responsible in part for the plaque rupture which
    54        causes myocardial infarction.  We have not obtained direct
    55        evidence for the latter, however.  This communication also
    56        serves to confirm the clearly established relationship
    57        between a high fat diet and coronary heart disease, the
    58        number 1 source of mortality in westernized countries.
    59             If I can provide you with additional information,
    60        please do not hesitate to contact me."  It is signed

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