Day 269 - 25 Jun 96 - Page 17
1 terms of nutrients with a smaller expenditure on natural
2 ingredients. The table was calculated by dieticians
3 currently providing advice on prevention of low birthweight
4 based on their own practice in London."
5
6 The chart is at the back of the statement. Is this from
7 your department?
8 A. Yes, Wendy Doyle is the senior dietitian.
9
10 Q. Do you know when it was done, roughly?
11 A. It was done about three weeks ago.
12
13 MR. JUSTICE BELL: The important nutrients are on the chart, are
14 they?
15 A. Well, I suspect that -- it is not by any means
16 complete list of important nutrients.
17
18 Q. No?
19 A. But the majority of the important nutrients are on the
20 -- conventionally considered important nutrients are on
21 the chart, yes.
22
23 Q. Would it take you a long time to tell me what the important
24 nutrients are, or not very long?
25 A. Well, I mean, nutritionists all have their own views
26 about these matters, but energy, protein, fat, saturated
27 fat are quite important. Fibre is considered to be
28 important in the conventional wisdom of today.
29
30 Q. Let me just catch up. So energy, protein, fat?
31 A. Well, energy is not generally considered as a
32 nutrient. So we will call protein, fibre, vitamin --
33 fibre, again it depends on who you talk to.
34
35 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What should I put ticks against as important
36 nutrients?
37 A. They are all important for health, my Lord.
38
39 MS. STEEL: But is it a question of the quantity you want?
40 A. Well, the only point being made by this is simply to
41 say that, you know, to substantiate the comment that I
42 made, that you can obtain the same nutrients from a
43 McDonald's meal without having a high saturated fat load.
44
45 Q. Right?
46 A. And I think this table justifies that if you go
47 through the vitamins and the magnesium, iron and zinc.
48 That is essentially making a meal as the dietitians would
49 make it in their kitchen for demonstration purposes to
50 teach the women about healthy eating.
51
52 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, I understand that but your thrust or one
53 of them is that you can obtain the necessary nutrients
54 without having to eat a meal or have a diet which has a
55 high saturated fat load, as you put it?
56 A. Right.
57
58 Q. But nevertheless, one of the questions I might have to ask
59 myself in this case is to what extent a McDonald's meal can
60 be described as nutritious at all. Do you understand? And
