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A study by the British Heart Foundation has shown that portions of food have doubled in the past 20 years
Britain’s supermarkets are ‘out of control’ when it comes to portion sizes, according to a study by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Despite the deepening obesity crisis portion sizes continue to rise, and are now double the size they were in 1993.
An average chicken curry and rice ready meal is now 53 per cent larger than in 1993, and a shepherd’s pie meal is about double the size.
Crumpets and garlic bread are from 20 to 30 per cent bigger now, while an average bagel has increased in size by 24 per cent.
To gain a pound in weight, a person need only consume an additional 3,500 calories and the massive increase in portion sizes explains why so many people are unwittingly putting on excess pounds.
As well as fuelling the growing obesity problem, the BHF said that oversized food portions were also contributing to heart disease, currently the UK's single biggest killer.
Portion sizes of 245 products sold in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Morrison’s were compared with portions sizes listed by the Food Standards Agency in a 1993 in the study, the Times reports.
The BHF has claimed that the oversized portions are damaging the health of the nation and has urged both the Scotish and Westminster governments to take urgent action to curb the proportions of food sold in supermarkets.
Despite the new regulations over labelling of food which aim to make it easier for consumers to make informed choices over what they eat, the study showed that many are still confused.
ASDA was one of the four major supermarkets that had its portion sizes investigated in the study, along with Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons
Bagels have increased by 24 per cent in the last 20 years, while a curry ready meal is 53 per cent bigger
The rules stipulate that nutritional information must be clearly displayed on the front of packaging, using a ‘traffic light’ colour code and showing the salt, fat, sugar and caloric content of 100g of the product.
The BHF surveyed 140 people and many reported still being unsure about the content and correct portion sizes of their food.
Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the BHF says of the findings: ‘We urgently need a government review of portion sizes in the UK,’
‘We are calling on supermarkets and manufacturers to take their share of responsibility for how much we eat.’
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