Day 035 - 12 Oct 94 - Page 48


     
     1        androstenedione?
     2        A.  That is correct which has -----
     3
     4   Q.   That has a tendency to increase the level of oestrone?
     5        A.  Yes, that is correct.
     6
     7   Q.   Which is observed to have a tumour promoting effect both
     8        in humans and in animals; is that right?
     9        A.  It seems to be correct, yes.
    10
    11   Q.   It seems to be correct.  What I want to know is what you
    12        see, apart from making people fat in the first place, or
    13        say is the role of a high-fat diet in that process?
    14        A.  What is the role of a high-fat diet in the process of
    15        conversion of the androstenedione to oestrone?
    16
    17   Q.   Or at any stage in the process?
    18
    19   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can I put it this way, partly so
    20        I understand what you are being asked, we understand where
    21        quantities of adipose tissue may come into the equation?
    22        A.  Yes.
    23
    24   Q.   We understand what you say about fat being a ready and
    25        efficient source of calories.
    26        A.  Yes.
    27
    28   Q.   I think (and Mr. Rampton will correct me if I am wrong) he
    29        is asking is there more to it than that, according to your
    30        thesis?
    31
    32   MR. RAMPTON:  That is right.
    33
    34   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Is that right?
    35
    36   MR. RAMPTON:  Yes, that is right.  I am sorry.
    37
    38   THE WITNESS:  Thank you.  Several things need to be mentioned
    39        in that context.  The first is that fat does not promote
    40        obesity solely because of its calorie content.  I am
    41        pausing because I am not sure if that is a clear concept.
    42
    43   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Add a simple explanation, a simple
    44        development of that.
    45        A.  OK.  If two diets that are designed to be isocaloric,
    46        they contain an equal number of calories, but one happens
    47        to derive its calories from fat predominantly and the
    48        other derives its calories from carbohydrate or protein,
    49        which is basically all that is left as far as providing
    50        calories goes, that diet which is composed, which is 
    51        higher in fat will encourage obesity with -- individuals 
    52        who follow that diet will have a higher body weight. 
    53
    54        And the reason -- there are a couple of reasons for that;
    55        obviously, that the calorogenic nature of fat is
    56        important, but aside from that, a high-fat diet does not
    57        allow the normal metabolic functions of the body to be
    58        stimulated to burn calories.
    59
    60        When the body consumes the complex carbohydrates which it

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