Fat in takeaway meals 'puts health on the line'

A meal including prawn crackers, crispy duck, chicken balls and spring rolls includes 2,823 calories and 132.5 grams of fat – the equivalent of a small wine glass, according to research carried out for the makers of a weight loss product.

Average takeaways overall include about 1,500 calories.

The Food Standards Agency lists a "high" fat content as more than 20g per 100g, while women are advised to limit their calorie intake to 2,000 a day and men to 2,500.

The online poll of 10,000 UK adults last month found 35 per cent eat at least two takeaways in a typical week.

A further 11 per cent have takeaways five times a week, while five per cent admitted eating one every day.

Almost a third – 32 per cent – voted a Chinese takeaway as their favourite meal, followed by 26 per cent who preferred Indian food.

Just under a fifth of those polled – 19 per cent – ordered side salads or diet drinks to make their meal healthier.

However, 20 per cent said they ordered side helpings of chips with their Chinese or Indian meals – adding at least a further 250 calories and 15 grams of fat to their intake.

Only 8 per cent admitted having any concerns about the fat content of their takeaway meals.

Nutritionist Mary Strugar said: "Takeaways as an occasional treat are fine.

"However, when such high volumes of fat and calories, not to mention salt levels, are consumed on a more regular basis you are in serious danger of putting your health on the line.

"If you do not exercise regularly, just two high fat takeaways a week could contribute to a substantial weight gain, adding more than 3,000 calories to your weekly allowance, increasing your chance of type 2 diabetes and other weight-related health problems such as hypertension and coronary heart disease."