Day 256 - 04 Jun 96 - Page 68
1 WHO study group and it is published in Geneva in 1990. I
2 would ask you, please, to turn to page 91 under the heading
3 "Fat Consumption".
4
5 I will not, if you will excuse me, read the first
6 paragraph, which is about body mass index. It is the
7 second paragraph I would like your comment on:
8
9 "Table 11, page 67, which summarises the links between diet
10 and cancer, suggests that a high intake of total fat may
11 also promote the development of a number of cancers. The
12 evidence cannot be considered sufficiently strong to be
13 termed causal but most expert groups now consider it
14 prudent to reduce fat intakes in western societies from the
15 prevailing figure of about 40 per cent of energy towards
16 the 20 to 30 per cent figure."
17
18 That is not the British Government, that is a composite
19 body from round the world. What comment do you have about
20 that?
21 A. Well, it is certainly less timid because they are
22 indicating there that fat intake is as low as 20 per cent
23 in calories or acceptable, which is quite low for western
24 countries that is.
25
26 Q. Yes.
27 A. The statement where it says: "The evidence cannot be
28 considered sufficiently strong to be termed causal", goes
29 on to say, "but most expert groups now consider it
30 prudent". That is a rather funny way of saying something
31 in the one hand----
32
33 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think what we have had on a number of
34 occasions is you have a question mark over whether
35 something might possibly cause cancer for instance. A
36 person expresses the point of view that the evidence falls
37 short of showing that it is causal but there are all sorts
38 of other good reasons related to other benefits of cutting
39 down fat intake so you recommend a maximum of such and such
40 a per cent, it is possible that it will reduce the
41 incidence of cancer. It may very well make you healthier
42 in other respects. Do you understand?
43 A. Yes.
44
45 Q. And that, Mr. Rampton, is possibly, is it not, the
46 explanation for that?
47
48 MR. RAMPTON: That is right, my Lord, yes.
49
50 MR. JUSTICE BELL: There is not necessarily a contradiction
51 because they are not just looking at cancer, particularly
52 in this WHO report.
53
54 MR. RAMPTON: That is right. My Lord, one sees that from the
55 negotiation page to which I am shortly coming to.
56
57 MS. STEEL: I think the witness was in the middle of an answer.
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: He was but I was trying to explain that there
60 is not necessarily a contradiction. It is quite right that
