[215] in Vegetarian_Support_Group
McLibel trial update
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (elsiedee@MIT.EDU)
Sat Oct 22 00:05:02 1994
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Date: Sat, 22 Oct 1994 00:04:10 EDT
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From: Moonchild <coniberr@CS.MAN.AC.UK>
Subject: McLibel update5
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+++++++ THE EIGHTH WEEK OF THE TRIAL
+++++++ was taken up with Defence witnesses on
+++++++ DIET, HEART DISEASE & CANCER, PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY
and
+++++++ THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY. +++++++++++++++
GEOFFREY CANNON - PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY - DIET AND CANCER: Geoffrey
Cannon, Chairperson of the National Food Alliance of consumer
organisations, and scientific director of the World Cancer
Research Fund, was called by the Defendants as an expert on public
health policy. He stated that "it is generally accepted by
authoritative scientific bodies that a diet high in fatty meat,
dairy products, fat, saturated fat, sugar and/or salt, and
correspondingly low in vegetables, fruit, starchy foods, and
fibre, such as that typically eaten in the UK, is an important
cause of disorders and diseases .... eg. tooth decay,
constipation, obesity, disease of the bones and gut, stroke, heart
attacks, and various cancers including those of the breast and
colon. This judgement is based on strong scientific evidence of
all types." Many of the bodies had produced dietary guidelines and
recommendations.
He emphasised how the US government, European Union, and World
Health Organisation all recommended reducing consumption of fatty
foods and increasing consumption of fruit, vegetables and other
foods containing fibre in order to prevent a significant
proportion of the large number of deaths each year from heart
disease (200,000 in the UK alone) and cancer (160,000 in the UK).
Regarding cancer, the UK government lagged behind. But Mr Cannon
referred to the "Scottish Diet" - a recent in-depth special report
from Scotland on diet and health which linked cancer and diet and
which has been endorsed by the Scottish Secretary of State.
Mr Cannon agreed that for those seeking to improve the
population's health it was "not sensible or responsible to
encourage people to eat foods nutritionally worse than the dietary
guidelines". Such food could "be reasonably considered as being
unhealthy" and a "negative contribution" to the diet (McDonald's
claim to support the UK government's dietary recommendations for
improving the health of the nation. However, their witnesses have
admitted that many of McDonald's products are high in fat and
saturated fat.)
PROFESSOR MICHAEL CRAWFORD - DIET, HEART DISEASE & CANCER: The
Defendants next called Professor Michael Crawford, an expert on
dietary fats and their relation to human health, and a consultant
to the World Health Organisation. He emphasised the association
between a high fat diet and increased risk of cancers of the
breast, colon and prostate cancer. This is particularly evident
from "population studies" of different countries with varied diets
and disease rates, from "migration" studies (showing that
immigrant populations soon adopted the diet and disease rates of
the country of settlement), and from the large increase of heart
disease and cancer in countries such as Japan where the modern
western diet is fast replacing traditional, healthier diets.
He quoted the recent "Scottish Diet" report which recommends a
diet low in total and saturated fat and high in plant foods. He
stated that analysis of McDonald's products showed that "a
McDonald's beefburger meal is the opposite of these
recommendations being rich in fat, particularly saturated fat".
He further explained how "modern beef production has become
distorted from the wild nature of food to which we are
physiologically adapted" in that modern cattle are intensively
reared for fast weight gain, resulting in unnaturally high levels
of fat, particularly saturated fat. Fat from modern domestic
cattle was in excess of 25% carcass fat, compared to 2-5% in wild
animals..
He stated that "not only are McDonald's encouraging the use of a
style of food which is closely associated with risk of cancer and
heart disease whilst health professionals are trying to reduce the
risks to Western populations, but they are actively promoting the
same in cultures where at present these diseases are not a
problem".
DR TIM LOBSTEIN - THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY & FOOD POLICY: Dr Tim
Lobstein, co-director of the Food Commission consumer
organisation, gave evidence for the Defence. An expert on food
policy issues, he drew upon extensive research work into the fast
food industry, particularly during its heavy promotion and growth
throughout the 1980s.
On studying eight suggested typical McDonald's "meal
combinations", he concluded that they are "generally imbalanced
with regard to their nutrient content". He said they are
"excessively fatty and salty", and correspondingly low in
"nutrient density" of several essential nutrients such as vitamins
and minerals. A Food Commission survey in 1987 had found that 31%
of people questioned at fast food stores in Peckham ate fast food
every day, and that 9% of the total sample ate burgers every day.
Dr Lobstein concluded that there were sections of the population
eating an extremely unbalanced diet - this view was backed by
reference to other surveys.
He was particularly concerned by the diet of school children, and
also by the expansion of McDonald's promotions in schools and
hospitals. Asked about the provision of toys with meals at
McDonald's, he stated "these are used to induce and to encourage
children to pester their parents to go to that fast food outlet
... some would argue that the foods themselves are designed to be
entertainment and that they are edible entertainment rather than
the provision of a nutritious meal".
McDonald's line that their food "can be eaten as part of a
balanced diet" was "meaningless". He said "you could eat a roll of
sellotape as part of a balanced diet". Rather than using the word
"balance", he would suggest greater consumption of healthy foods.
"McDonald's tends to take the basic food ingredients and add fat,
salt and sugar, so encouraging their customers to eat a worse
diet." McDonald's claims that they are "improving" the nutritional
composition of some of their products could be said to be a result
of criticisms and pressure. He said that if McDonald's wished to
be responsible they would need to examine the kind of food they
sold and how it was promoted.
It was shown that, up until 1988 at least, McDonald's failed to
produce ingredient information in the UK, even after requests to
head office. Dr Lobstein believed that the fast food industry
should list ingredients on the actual cartons and packaging of
their products. "I am sure it is capable of doing that. He also
felt that there should be legal restrictions on misleading
labelling claims by manufacturers, as there were in the USA."
The case continues.
++++++++ McLibel Trial Diary (ninth week commencing 10th
October) --- DIET & HEALTH, NUTRITION ++++++++
Mon & Tues 10th/11th Oct: Dr Neil Barnard (Defence expert
witness from the US - diet and diseases)
Wednesday 12th October: Peter Cox (Defence expert witness -
nutrition, & health promotion)
Thursday 13th October: Peter Cox (continuation); Dr David Ryde
(Defence expert - treatment of disease)
Friday 14th October: Jane Brophy (Defence expert witness -
nutrition, & health promotion)
The trial is open to members of the press and public, starting at
10.30am daily: Court 35, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London
WC2. (Please note that the nearest underground station - Aldwych
- - is no longer even open in the rush hours; as part of the
continuing cut-backs in public transport provision in London, the
Holborn-Aldwych shuttle service has this month been closed "for
good". Please use Temple or Holborn - each is within walking
distance of the court.)
++++++ CAMPAIGN NEWS - October Month of Protest +++++
McDonald's UK 20th Anniversary "Birthday Celebrations" countered
- ---- On 1st October, McDonald's executives held a celebration
along with jazz band and clown at their Woolwich store, which 20
years ago opened as the first UK McDonald's. 25 London Greenpeace
supporters of various ages gathered in their midst with a banner
reading "20 years of McGarbage" and handed out 4000 "What's Wrong
With McDonald's" leaflets to passers-by.
Nationwide Day of Local Protests - On 8th October, scores of
McDonald's stores all round the country were leafletted (at least
35 in the London area alone).
THE COMING WEEK:
Friday 14th October, 4.30-6.30pm - Protest at McDonald's HQ, High
Road, London N2 (by East Finchley tube). This year "Operation
Send-It-Back" will see sackfuls of the company's litter picked up
from the streets and returned to McDonald's as a protest.
Saturday 15th October - NATIONAL MARCH AGAINST McDONALD'S.
Assemble at Noon, outside Euston BR station, and march through
Central London.
+++++++ CAMPAIGN STATEMENT:
The McLibel Support Campaign was set up to generate solidarity and
financial backing for the McLibel Defendants, who are not
themselves responsible for Campaign publicity. The Campaign is
also supportive of, but independent from, general, worldwide,
grassroots anti-McDonalds activities and protests.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Please distribute this information far and wide.
Previous updates are available at Chris Harrisons page at
http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/~harrison/Environment/Environment.html
and via Nick Fiddes page at
http://anthfirst.san.ed.ac.uk/
Richard
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