Day 252 - 20 May 96 - Page 36


     
     1        responds much more to dietary cholesterol than somebody who
     2        already has elevated blood lipids.
     3
     4   Q.   Right, but, at any rate, it does have some effect?
     5        A.  Yes, it can have some effect.  I think the word "can"
     6        is there.
     7
     8   Q.   If you go over to page 129 where it is dealt with in more
     9        detail:
    10
    11        "6.2.7:  Dietary cholesterol and plasma cholesterol:  The
    12        weight of evidence supports the view that raising
    13        cholesterol levels in the diet increases plasma
    14        cholesterol, primarily LDL cholesterol, although there is
    15        considerable inter-individual variation in response."
    16
    17        Then they talk about a "threshold effect".  Then in section
    18        6.2.9 towards the bottom, the fifth line from the bottom,
    19        it starts:
    20
    21        "There is some evidence that dietary cholesterol may
    22        partly influence risk of coronary heart disease
    23        independently of this affect on serum cholesterol and this
    24        requires further investigation.  We therefore recommend
    25        that dietary cholesterol intakes, measured per unit of
    26        dietary energy, should not rise."
    27
    28        I think we dealt with that this morning anyway when you
    29        said that the amount of cholesterol intake had been reduced
    30        over the past 10 years.  That is right; yes?
    31        A.   Yes, that is so.
    32
    33   Q.   In your statement, you said that the average intake of
    34        sodium in the UK greatly exceeded the physiological
    35        requirement and so reduction in salt intake was recommended
    36        by The COMA Review Group. That was basically because of
    37        concerns of finding that sodium raises the ----
    38        A.   It is related.  Can you remind me what page this is
    39        on, please?
    40
    41   MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is page 7, the middle paragraph under
    42        hypertension?
    43        A.   I see, yes.  The Committee recommended a reduction.
    44
    45   MS. STEEL:   Right, and if you look on page 124, the third blob:
    46
    47        "There is good evidence that dietary sodium intake
    48        principally from common salt is important in determining
    49        levels of blood pressure and in particular the rise of
    50        blood pressure with age." 
    51 
    52        You would accept that? 
    53        A.   Yes, I would.
    54
    55   Q.   If we turn now to page 136 to carry on with sodium.
    56
    57   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   How does that relate to what you said about
    58        salt under hypertension in your statement?
    59        A.   Did I mention age in this?  Yes, I did not mention
    60        age.  If I could just say something about that.  This is

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