Heart doctor weighs in on Sir Robert

Press, 1 June 1985, Page 9

Heart doctor weighs in on Sir Robert

PA Auckland Sir Robert Muldoon’s criticism of Bellamy’s health food may be “an act of denial” of his overweight problem, says the Heart Foundation’s medical director, Dr David Hay. Sir Robert told a Lions Club meeting this week that he would rather be sick than eat the new health menus served at Parliament’s restaurant. “I tried one by accident, believing it was something else. It consisted of a thin slice of pallid ham, a small piece of dead white chicken flesh, a tablespoonful of thinly sliced lettuce, all on some kind of a wholemeal bun / which:; tasted, like sawdust,”; Sir' Robert said, j Dr Hay said that the

“creative cuisine” menu was devised by the Heart Foundation to lower the risk of diet-related disease. Sir Robert might be trying to deny the fact that he had a weight problem “which he should get to grips with.” “I don’t feel too bothered by his comments — maybe he is a bit far gone for the energetic dietary approach to things. The emphasis should be on younger people anyway,” Dr Hay said. Bellamy’s still offered a range of foods and members were not being forced to eat the healthier options, he said. Sir Robert was probably being flippant, but he should not throw away the plan on just one tasting. “There have been many : favourable comments about it,” Dr Hay said.