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

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