Day 034 - 11 Oct 94 - Page 42
1 A high-fat diet may also affect the risk of colon cancer
2 by increasing the amount of other damaging chemicals
3 (lipid peroxides) in the bowel, by causing changes in the
4 cell membrane, and/or by affecting hormone regulation".
5
6 What is perhaps worth drawing to your attention is again
7 this use of the word "links" which we have seen before in
8 official government documents describing the relationship
9 between high fat diets and in this case colon cancer. My
10 understanding of that word, perhaps, might be that the
11 high fat diet is suspected of making a contribution,
12 although not necessarily directly and firmly established
13 as a cause. That is all I wanted to bring to your
14 attention from this booklet.
15
16 MR. MORRIS: Just wait one minute, Dr. Barnard. If you look
17 over on page 9 of that document, at the bottom of the
18 first column on page 9, do you want to read to yourself
19 the paragraph about -- it is the last couple of sentences
20 in that column starting: "A related dietary intervention
21 trial"?
22 A. Yes.
23
24 Q. And make any comment you would like to make. It is
25 regarding polyps.
26 A. Yes. What is being described here in those sentences
27 is that, in their words, there is strong evidence that
28 colorectal cancer develops from polyps, it is actually
29 direct quotes: "Given the strong evidence that colorectal
30 cancer develops from polyps, these studies may have
31 important implications for reducing the risk of this type
32 of cancer". "These studies" meaning actually using low
33 fat/high fibre, vegetable and fruit enriched diets in
34 individuals who have already had polyps removed
35 surgically.
36 The goal here of such studies is to prevent cancer
37 recurrence, and some such studies have already been done
38 and have been shown to be helpful.
39
40 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can you read the whole of that again?
41 I think my page is cut off.
42
43 MR. MORRIS: I think it the word "cancer" that is cut off; it
44 is the same in my one, "risk of this type of cancer". Is
45 that correct, "cancer" is the last word?
46 A. The last word, yes, "reducing the risk of this type of
47 cancer".
48
49 Q. Shall we move on to the next document? The Surgeon
50 General report we have dealt with. "Bowes and Church's
51 Food Values of Portions Commonly Used". Do you want to
52 refer to that one?
53 A. Not beyond what I made reference to in my statement.
54
55 Q. Can you explain what the status of this document is?
56 A. That is -----
57
58 Q. It is No. 8 by the way on the list.
59 A. Yes, "Bowes and Churches Food Values Portions Commonly
60 Used" is the most common reference guide for dieticians or
