Day 022 - 12 Sep 94 - Page 22
1 Q. "A ten point code"?
2 A. Yes.
3
4 Q. This is the Europe Against Cancer Campaign. Do you have
5 any comment on what this Europe Against Cancer Campaign
6 is? Could you enlighten us?
7 A. I am afraid I cannot, no.
8
9 Q. Have you heard of them?
10 A. All I know is that it is an EEC funded body and who
11 have produced this document and that is as much as I do
12 know.
13
14 Q. Right. If we look at the top left of that front page.
15 I have the original here. It says: "Cut down on fatty
16 foods".
17 A. Yes.
18
19 Q. "It is known that in Western countries where people
20 usually eat a lot of meat, butter and other dairy
21 products, there is a higher risk of breast and bowel
22 cancer as well as other diseases, like coronary heart
23 disease. A sensible diet can reduce this risk. Eat lean
24 meat, try fish or chicken instead of red meat." Where it
25 says: "A sensible diet can reduce this risk", that is
26 pretty, quite strong advice really?
27 A. But it is not only including -----
28
29 Q. Advising people?
30 A. It is not only including cancer, it is including
31 coronary heart disease. They are applying the maxim of
32 cutting down on fatty foods because of diseases of breast
33 and bowel as well as other diseases, like coronary heart
34 disease. It is not only implying that it will reduce
35 cancer risk.
36
37 Q. But it is a special pamphlet for the public, is it not,
38 about cancer and how to avoid it, so people would conclude
39 that that is sensible advice regarding cancer?
40 A. I have already said that there are publications which
41 have suggested that there is a relationship between fat
42 and cancer.
43
44 Q. Yes, so it is prudent advice really.
45 A. It is sensible advice when we do not know what the
46 answer is.
47
48 Q. If we look at that pamphlet, if we look at No. 3 --
49 I think it is over the page -- it also makes the same
50 point: "Avoid being overweight. Some cancers are
51 associated with extreme overweight (obesity). Regular
52 exercise and a sensible diet, which includes a good
53 proportion of vegetables and fruit, will help to reduce
54 weight." So they are pretty strong on obesity. What they
55 call here "firm guidelines". That is the title of this
56 pamphlet and No. 3 is: "Avoid being overweight".
57 A. I think one of the things we have agreed on is if you
58 develop breast cancer your outlook is worse if you are
59 obese and it is only sensible to reduce your weight.
60
