Health Update: Hearty diet

A SPECIALIST in the treatment of diabetes is taking on the 'diet police' who, he believes, have gone too far in telling us what we should and should not eat. His decision was prompted by two elderly relatives - both in their eighties and underweight because of cancer - who asked for skimmed milk because 'full cream is bad for the heart'.

According to a report in the Scottish Medical Journal, the consultant says that from now on his family will eat butter, cream, red meat and rich puddings, and not feel guilty about it. He says there is no reason why they should refuse these foods - there is no family history of heart disease, they do not smoke, are not overweight, do not suffer from high blood pressure and have low cholesterol levels.