§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on low fat diets free from animal products. [156810]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department has not commissioned or evaluated research on low fat diets free from animal products. The Oxford cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford) has been supported by Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and the Europe Against Cancer Programme of the Commission of the European Community. Findings from EPIC-Oxford data have shown that diets free from animal products are associated with lower levels of obesity than diets which include meat. The Medical Research Council spent £17.1 million in 2001 –02 on nutrition research.