Day 252 - 20 May 96 - Page 43


     
     1   MS. STEEL:  There was in the bold part?
     2        A.   At the bottom of page 8.
     3
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL: Page 8?
     5        A.   Yes.
     6
     7   MS. STEEL: That is, obviously as it says there, the maximum?
     8        A.  No, that is the average.  What they are really saying
     9        is that some people can have a little bit more and some
    10        people can have a little bit less.
    11
    12   Q.   Right, but "the average contribution be reduced to no more
    13        than 10 percent"?
    14        A.   Yes.  This would be ideally can be achieved.
    15
    16   Q.   Right, so the idea is to get less than 10 percent?
    17        A.  No, the ideal at the moment is to achieve an average of
    18        10 per cent at the moment.
    19
    20   Q.   Right at the moment because that is based on practical
    21        difficulties because of the type of the food that we eat?
    22        A.   Yes, and our current state of knowledge, who knows,
    23        next time around it may go up or it may go down.  There is
    24        no way of predicting it.
    25
    26   Q.   On page 10, section 2.5, Summary, this is about total fat:
    27
    28        "It has been argued that the recommended reduction in
    29        saturates could be offset without disadvantage by a
    30        similar increase in monounsaturates, thus leaving total fat
    31        unchanged.  In respect of plasma cholesterol, it seems
    32        likely that increasing monounsaturate intake would have no
    33        adverse effect.  However, there is epidemiological evidence
    34        for an association between intake of total fat as well of
    35        saturated fats and CHD mortality.  Although the proven
    36        association between consumption of saturates and plasma
    37        cholesterol can largely account for that association, an
    38        additional, independent effect of total fat on CHD risk
    39        cannot be ruled out. There are a number of reasons why
    40        unrestricted intake of total fat may be undesirable
    41        although the evidence for this is not as strong as this for
    42        the effect of saturated fatty acids.  There is mounting
    43        evidence that a higher proportion of energy as fat,
    44        irrespective of its composition, predisposes to positive
    45        energy balance and hence obesity.
    46        There is also some evidence that it may, irrespective of
    47        the composition, increase the tendency for blood to clot.
    48        Some studies have also found an association between total
    49        fat intake and the development of certain cancers, although
    50        this remains controversial.  In contrast, there is no 
    51        evidence that moderate reduction of fat intakes is 
    52        associated with ill effects. There are insufficient data to 
    53        identify 'optimum' level of fat in the diet, though levels
    54        less than 10 percent have been achieved in some
    55        circumstances with evidence of benefit.  In the UK, general
    56        reduction in total fat intake would also be expected to
    57        reduce intake of saturates. We, therefore, considered it
    58        prudent to recommend specific reduction in total fat
    59        consumption.  The present average proportion of energy
    60        derived from total fat is about 40 per cent.  We recommend

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