Food giants back call for smaller portions

Food companies have given their full backing to recent recommendations by epidemiologists that the size of cholesterol-inducing products such as chocolate bars, packets of crisps and hamburgers be reduced.

Leading nutritional experts are fearful that westerners are overeating partly because of the increasing size of portions on offer. If the size of portions were reduced, it is hoped levels of obesity among the population would dramatically fall.

Faced with such evidence, food producers have surprised many by supporting the campaign. And, as a spokesman told The Rockall Times, they are prepared to go even further: "To maximise the effectiveness of this fight against increasing levels of obesity, we have taken the decision not to reduce the price on our new, smaller portion," he confirmed. "In this way, we can ensure that people will not just go and buy another packet, compounding the problem."

But this in itself may see food producers struggle under the weight of increased profits. "Yes, we believe that may be one unfortunate side-effect of our stance against an unhealthy modern diet, but we believe we have enough financial tools in place to deal with this eventuality," the spokesman opined.

Global evidence to support the experts' finding that people don't feel hungrier if the size of their portions is reduced is mixed however. Those tested in America reported little difference when the burgers they were given were reduced from Obscene to Humungous but Ethiopians presented with halved portions in their rice bowls have confessed to "twinges of hunger" over the following 24 hours.