Day 296 - 07 Nov 96 - Page 43


     
     1   MR. MORRIS:   We think sugar is relevant.
     2
     3   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   I have no doubt you do, but I have to decide
     4        it on the evidence, you see, so I am giving you an
     5        opportunity some time in the next couple of days to come up
     6        with the references in evidence which support what you say.
     7
     8   MR. MORRIS:   The other thing about sugar that is relevant is
     9        that it is an important ingredient added to a product to
    10        make it attractive and palatable, to compensate for the
    11        otherwise mediocre nature of it, which is important,
    12        important in this whole equation.
    13
    14   MS. STEEL:   It is also important in encouraging people to eat
    15        more of sweet products and in the case of, for example,
    16        milkshakes-----
    17
    18   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Give me the references for all this in due
    19        course, if you want.
    20
    21   MS. STEEL:   Can I just ask, do you actually want a reference
    22        for the assertion I have just made that sugar in food
    23        encourages people to eat more of it?
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   I will accept that some people develop a
    26        sweet tooth, if you see what I mean.
    27
    28   MS. STEEL:   Most people.
    29
    30   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   If you have got particular evidence in
    31        relation to McDonald's food, then I would like you to give
    32        them to me.  I may well turn them up myself, anyway.  But
    33        I just have the impression, without giving you chapter and
    34        verse, that in some of the more recent articles which were
    35        mentioned and a more recent COMA report -- I am not going
    36        to look it up now -- it may well be COMA 46 ---
    37
    38   MR. RAMPTON:   My Lord, I think it is.
    39
    40   MR JUSTICE BELL:  -- which relates to cardiovascular disease,
    41        they were enthusiastic about sugar in the context of dental
    42        caries, rather than cardiovascular disease.  All this may
    43        be wrong, but I am only raising it so that you can come
    44        back at me about it, if you like.
    45
    46   MS. STEEL:   Yes.  Can I just ask -----
    47
    48   MR JUSTICE BELL:   You see, it is easy to make ex cathedra
    49        statements that if you eat a lot of sugar you get fat and
    50        if you get fat you get obese -- I am reminding myself that
    51        obesity is something more than being overweight -- and,
    52        therefore, it damages your health in one way or the other,
    53        but we have actually had evidence on this, and I have got
    54        to take account of it.  Leave it there and come back to it
    55        if you have particular references in mind in due course.
    56
    57   MS. STEEL:   Can I just ask about what you said about sugar in
    58        relation to McDonald's food?   I understand what you are
    59        saying about the health -- you want us to give you
    60        references regarding sugar and health.  But did you say you

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