Day 055 - 25 Nov 94 - Page 42

     
     1        pleasurable experience, an enjoyable experience, and that
     2        is something which I would want to encourage children to
     3        enjoy eating, I also think that if it is a very distracted
     4        occasion, that it can make it much more difficult for
     5        children to actually eat.  They are more likely to be
     6        distracted by noises, the events, the toys, the balloons,
     7        maybe a party atmosphere that is going on around them.  If
     8        children come to associate eating with those kinds of
     9        experiences, then I think the family meal time is perhaps
    10        going to seem rather dull by comparison and, in fact,
    11        children may find harder to sit and eat at a table; they
    12        may want to be off playing with their toys.
    13
    14        So, I do not see the connection between such entertainment
    15        experiences helping children who may have feeding
    16        difficulties.
    17
    18   MR. MORRIS:   So are you saying it may, in fact -----
    19
    20   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  She is saying she does not think much of that
         point.
    22
    23   MR. MORRIS:  In fact, if I read you right, you were saying, in
    24        fact, it may create problems?
    25        A.  I think it could also make it more difficult, yes.
    26
    27   Q.   McDonald's have stated, as a matter of public record, that
    28        they support the Health of the Nation Initiative and its
    29        recommendations.  What obligation would you confer on them
    30        as regards the promotion of their food?
    31        A.  There have been a number of recommendations that have
    32        come out of the Nutrition Task Force, and there are working
    33        parties that are currently meeting and considering what is
    34        appropriate action to be taken, not only by the industry
    35        but by health professions, by the voluntary sector, by
    36        government.
    37
    38        I understand there is one particular working group that is
    39        concentrating on fast-food.  I do not know specifically the
    40        details of that, but I do know of some of the other
         recommendations that have come out of the Nutrition Task
    42        Force.
    43
    44        A recommendation that has come out as regards manufacturers
    45        and food producers is that they have been invited to
    46        undertake a "fat audit" of their products and to identify
    47        opportunities for reducing the amount of fat, particularly
    48        the amount of saturated fat, in their products, and also to
    49        look at ways of developing marketing strategies that are
    50        more conducive to healthy eating.  Marketing strategies 
    51        obviously include advertising. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Does this also have, in your opinion, an obligation on
    54        which particular foods a company may promote from their
    55        menu?
    56        A.  I think a company that was wishing to respond
    57        positively to the Health of the Nation Initiative would
    58        take a very serious look at the kinds of products they
    59        provide, and to see whether they could do more to ensure
    60        that the choice of product fitted in with the