Day 296 - 07 Nov 96 - Page 07


     
     1        rely on them.
     2
     3   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It may well be at the end of the day that
     4        that is to no avail because I do not think they are
     5        relevant.  The only safe way to approach it is to say to me
     6        what you want to say about those other diseases as well.
     7
     8   MR. MORRIS:   Okay.
     9
    10   MS. STEEL:   Right.  Well, I am going to start with a kind of
    11        summary of what our view is and then go on to specific
    12        references and giving you specific references.  I hope to
    13        have a printout of at least some of those, probably
    14        tomorrow.
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Yes.
    17
    18   MS. STEEL:   We would obviously argue that during the course of
    19        this trial the evidence that has emerged has overwhelmingly
    20        supported our case.  First and foremost, we have the
    21        admission in McDonald's own publication, "Good Food,
    22        Nutrition and McDonald's", that was published in 1985, that
    23        there is a considerable amount of evidence to suggest that
    24        many of the diseases which are more common in the western
    25        affluent world - diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high
    26        blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and some forms of
    27        cancer - are related to diet.  The typical western diet is
    28        relatively low in dietary fibre (roughage) and high in fat,
    29        salt and sugar.
    30
    31        Lower down on the page in the same document:  "Many
    32        countries have therefore published dietary guidelines,
    33        general recommendations concerning diet which are aimed at
    34        the whole population in order to prevent these diseases and
    35        to promote good health."
    36
    37        Obviously, they would not be publishing dietary guidelines
    38        if they did not consider that it was going to have an
    39        effect, and that is indicated by the words 'prevent these
    40        diseases'.  That is a clear indication in McDonald's own
    41        publication that there is a causal relationship between the
    42        type of diet as promoted by McDonald's, that is high in
    43        fat, salt and sugar and low in fibre, and diseases such as
    44        heart disease and breast and bowel cancer, or some forms of
    45        cancer in any event.  I don't think they actually specify
    46        breast and bowel cancer, but I think that is pretty
    47        irrelevant seeing as I don't think some people say 'I am
    48        not worried about that type of diet if it gives me X type
    49        of cancer, only if it gives me Y type'.
    50
    51        The document does go on to say it is important to remember
    52        that although diet is an important contributory factor to
    53        these diseases, it is not the only one.  The point is from
    54        that, that they are recognising that it is an important
    55        contributory factor to those diseases.  Again, that is a
    56        clear indication that the relationship is regarded as
    57        causal, and that is by McDonald's.
    58
    59        When we got hold of this booklet, which I think was in
    60        1993, we used that passage to plead, the passage which

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