Day 022 - 12 Sep 94 - Page 10
1 MR. MORRIS: Let me just read out what the conclusion of the
2 report is, according to this. If you have any reason to
3 doubt this, please say: "A review of the evidence
4 indicates that a high intake of total fat - and in some
5 case-studies also saturated fat - is associated with an
6 increased risk of cancers of the colon, prostate and
7 breast. The evidence is strongest for cancer of the
8 colon, and weakest for breast cancer. The epidemiological
9 evidence is not totally consistent, but is generally
10 supported by laboratory data from studies in animals. The
11 experimental data, however, also point to an adverse
12 effect of very high intakes of polyunsaturated fats, at
13 levels that are considerably above current intakes in
14 human populations.
15
16 Diets high in plant foods, especially green and yellow
17 vegetables and citrus fruits, are associated with a lower
18 occurrence of cancers of the lung, colon, oesophagus, and
19 stomach. Although the mechanisms underlying these effects
20 are not fully understood, such diets are low in saturated
21 fat and high in starches and fibre and several vitamins
22 and minerals, including beta-carotene and vitamin A.
23 There is no conclusive evidence that these beneficial
24 effects are due to the high fibre content of such foods."
25
26 Then I will carry on: "Sustained heavy alcohol
27 consumption appears to be causally linked to cancer of the
28 upper alimentary tract and liver. Excessive body weight
29 is clearly a risk factor for endometrial and
30 postmenopausal breast cancers, but the association of
31 these cancers with excessive energy intake per se is less
32 well established.
33
34 High fat intake is associated with cancer at several
35 sites. Certainty about the optimum" -- hold on a
36 second -- "Certainty about the optimum intake of fat in
37 relation to cancer must await future research, such as
38 controlled trials. In the meantime, international
39 correlation analysis and other epidemiological data
40 indicate that fat intakes of less than 30% of total energy
41 will be needed to attain a low risk of fat-related
42 cancers. A reduction in risk is also likely when fat is
43 reduced towards 30%, especially if this dietary change is
44 combined with a change in other dietary components. See
45 below". There is a table which has "Associations between
46 selected dietary components and cancer".
47
48 It has under the list below: Breast and colon, you have
49 "fat" one star for breast, and two stars for colon. Does
50 that mean they think colon is more strongly associated?
51 A. It would seem, yes.
52
53 Q. Breast is associated but colon is more strongly
54 associated. Yes. Over the page: "In conclusion,
55 although several lines of evidence indicate that dietary
56 factors are important in the causation of cancer at many
57 sites and that dietary modifications may reduce cancer
58 risk, the contribution of diet to total cancer incidence
59 and mortality cannot be quantified on the basis of present
60 knowledge. Nevertheless, evidence indicates that a diet
