Serving up obesity? How supermarket ready meals have DOUBLED in size in a decade

Supermarket ready meals have ballooned in size over the past 15 years  -  provoking fears they are encouraging a national obesity epidemic.

Products such as curry, cottage pies, pasta dishes and casseroles can be more than 50 per cent bigger than in the 1990s.

At the same time, the portion size of some ready meals aimed at children is on a par with the adult products of 15 years ago.

The Food Standards Agency commissioned the research following evidence from the U.S. that supersize portions, laden with saturated fat, were fuelling weight gain. The watchdog estimates that Britons are eating 20 per cent too much saturated fat every day, which is contributing to some 200,000 deaths a year from coronary heart disease.

It has set itself a target to reduce the proportion of food energy from saturated fat from an average of 13.3 per cent to 11 per cent by 2010. This, it claims, would prevent 3,500 premature deaths a year.

Saturated fat is associated with fatty meats and dairy products such as full-fat milk, butter, cheese and cream.

The FSA's researchers looked at changes in portion sizes on everything from yoghurt to fast food and soft drinks.

A lack of historical data on portion sizes meant it was difficult for the team to track changes in the amount people are eating in a single meal.

However, they did find significant increases on many ready meals and the typical weight for a slice of bread, which means sandwiches are bigger than they used to be.

In 1990, Asda was selling a chicken korma without rice in a pack weighing 227g. Today, the nearest equivalent product is 54 per cent bigger at 350g.

A Marks & Spencer spaghetti bolognese for one has jumped from 283g 15 years ago to 400g today, which is an increase of 41 per cent. There are some ready meals where the increases appear to be even bigger, although it is possible the new larger sizes are being shared rather than eaten by one person.

Iceland's beef stew and dumplings had a weight of 285g in 1990s, while the product now on shelves weighs in at 500g, which is 75 per cent bigger.

Professor Malcolm Law, head of preventive medicine at London's Wolfson Institute, has lobbied for the end to supersize portions and two-for-one offers on sweets and junk food. He said it is time for the Government and FSA to take tough action to put a stop to it. 'There is a lot of evidence that portion sizes are getting bigger,' he added. 'It is no good asking supermarkets and manufacturers to take voluntary action to put a stop to it, that won't work.

'The Government needs to get them all in a room and require a uniform change to smaller portions.

'There is an epidemic of obesity. The increase in portion sizes and two-for-one offers on sweets and other unhealthy foods is self-evidently a factor in this.'

The FSA researchers identified a number of children's ready meals with a portion size of 300g, which is around the level of adult products in the 1990s. They also found that sliced bread is likely to be thicker than in the 1990s. A medium slice from a Warburtons white loaf is up 10.7 per cent from 36.4g to 40.3g.

The largest portion of fries available from fast food giants such as McDonald's and Burger King also appears bigger than in the 1990s.

The FSA said the comparisons provide a guide rather than a definitive picture of portion changes. It said the pack sizes might have risen in some cases because these products are likely to be shared.

Rosemary Hignett, head of nutrition at the FSA, said: 'The agency is committed to doing what it can to encourage everyone to eat a balanced diet.'

The Federation of Bakers said consumers have plenty of choice on how thick a slice of bread should be. 'People want to be able to buy thicker sliced bread,' it said.

The British Retail Consortium, which speaks for supermarkets, said: 'Portion sizes are based on how much customers want and the value they expect for their money.

'There's no point making portions so small that people buy two. All packs have full nutritional information to help customers choose a balanced diet.'