Day 254 - 22 May 96 - Page 56
1 it is only sensible for advisory bodies to suggest that
2 people should do X or should do Y, should modify their
3 lifestyle in such a way.
4
5 Q. Right, OK.
6
7 MS. STEEL: The point is that where in your statement you say
8 about "the dangers of making dietary recommendations to the
9 general public because some of them have proved to be
10 inconsistent and erroneous", the reality is that the
11 dietary recommendations made to the general public relating
12 to fat and saturated fat intake have remained consistent;
13 yes?
14 A. Yes. I am not arguing about that at all. I accept
15 that.
16
17 Q. The same would be true for increasing intake of fruit and
18 vegetables?
19 A. Yes, that is true.
20
21 Q. Right.
22
23 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause a moment because we might have a
24 break in a moment.
25
26 MR. RAMPTON: As we do that, can I make an enquiry through your
27 Lordship as to how long this is going to go on. One
28 reason is that obviously Dr. Arnott has to think about
29 whether he needs to come back tomorrow and, for another
30 reason, I need to know whether I can release Mr. Nicholson
31 for the day.
32
33 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes. Just let me make a note.
34
35 MS. STEEL: I think we can guarantee we are not going to get on
36 to Mr. Nicholson today as far as that goes.
37
38 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I was not going to ask you to do that. What
39 I would like you to do, we will take the 5-minute break
40 now, if you can spend a couple of minutes of it thinking
41 about what your prognosis is for the remainder of
42 cross-examination of Mr. Arnott and then when we come back
43 ----
44
45 MS. STEEL: I do have got a massive amount left but the problem
46 is that sometimes it is quite hard to get an answer out of
47 the witness but ----
48
49 MR. JUSTICE BELL: If I may say so, I think one of the
50 difficulties is that you and the witness have a different
51 aspect. You are batting on, to some extent,
52 recommendations concerning maximum intakes, and the witness
53 may be more concerned as to whether there is any evidence
54 of any risk if you actually exceed that recommendation,
55 because to recommend that you do not exceed X per cent does
56 not necessarily mean that there is a proven, or indeed any,
57 risk if you exceed it.
58
59 MS. STEEL: I do not think they make recommendations just for
60 the fun of it.
