More than three-quarters of the best-selling dishes sold in takeaways, restaurants and coffee chains are unhealthy according to government guidelines, a new study shows.

Popular products such as pizza, burgers, chicken dishes, fries and baguettes contain dangerously high amounts of fat, salt, sugar or calories that can be harmful to health, the researchers say.

They reached their “extremely alarming” conclusions after analysing the nutritional value of the ten best-selling items from 19 of the UK’s largest take-away outlets, including chains such as Subway, Pizza Express, McDonald’s, Greggs, Starbucks and Pret a Manger.

Between 46 and 78 percent of the 190 dishes examined were rated as unhealthy, depending on which of three different government-backed methods was used to assess the nutritional quality of food. These are the long-established nutrient profile model, the traffic light labelling used by many supermarkets and the metrics underlying the sugar tax, as well as the previous government’s efforts to encourage food manufacturers to add less salt, sugar or calories to their products.

The findings have led to renewed calls for ministers to force the food industry to make their products healthier, as poor nutrition is a major cause of cancer, heart disease and other deadly diseases.

“The dominance of unhealthy foods and drinks in the out-of-home sector is extremely worrying. Although healthier alternatives exist, this food environment makes it difficult for people to make healthier choices,” said Dr Monique Tan, lecturer in public health nutrition at Queen Mary University of London, who led the study.

The unhealthy nature of many of the most popular products offered by fast food and takeaway chains is particularly worrying as Brits eat out more and more often, with an estimated 2.4 billion people visiting takeaways each year.

Other research has found that 11 to 25 percent of Britons’ total calorie intake comes from food bought in these stores, with more than half of that coming from the larger chains.

“What we eat when we are out depends entirely on what is available and affordable. The problem is that many of the foods are not healthy,” Tan added.

“People used to think of eating out as an occasional indulgence, but that’s no longer the case. As a nation, we’re eating more and more ‘out of home’ food. Since the majority of ‘out of home’ food is not healthy, when you eat out or order takeaway, it’s very likely that you’re consuming food that’s bad for your health.”

Tan identified five dishes that were found to be unhealthy by all different measures and combinations thereof: Pizza Hut’s “Pepperoni Feast” pizza, Burger King’s “Memphis BBQ King Double”, Nando’s “Fino Pitta” with grilled chicken and halloumi cheese, halloumi fries in Wetherspoon’s pubs and Pret a Manger’s ham and grevé baguette.

They were classified as unhealthy because of their “unbalanced nutrient profile” – containing large amounts of calories, sugar, saturated fat or salt per 100 grams and low amounts of fiber, protein, fruits, vegetables and nuts, Tan said.

The large portion sizes offered by some chains also lead to diners consuming high amounts of salt, sugar, fat or calories, the research team added in a 22-page report detailing the findings. The researchers also included experts from food groups Action on Sugar, the Obesity Health Alliance and Bite Back, the campaigning arm of Jamie Oliver’s organisation.

According to a study published in the Guardian in June, some ready meals contain more calories per serving than the recommended amount – 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men – that a person should consume in a whole day.

The researchers also found that only one of the 19 companies studied – Pret a Manger – makes information about the nutritional composition of its products public. Thirteen companies did not provide information about ingredients, eleven companies did not disclose what the nutritional composition is per 100g, and nine companies did not disclose the amount of fiber contained.

Dr Kawther Hashem, head of research and impact at Action on Sugar, said it was “absurd” that consumers knew what was in the food they bought in the supermarket but “were left in the dark when eating out. If companies continue to hide their nutritional information, there is little hope for consumers to choose healthier alternatives.”

The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs was asked for a statement.

Earlier this year, Wes Streeting, then Labour’s shadow health secretary, publicly warned “highly manipulative” food companies that they would have to reformulate their products to make them healthier. “You either get on the steamroller or you go under,” he said.

However, the Labour Party’s election manifesto contained no plans to achieve this goal.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, which represents the out-of-home sector, said the research found that a majority (54 percent) of the 190 products were healthy according to the nutritional profiling model introduced by the government in 2004.

“Hospitality strives to offer customers a wide variety of options, from a salad for lunch to a treat for a special occasion, and is careful to offer healthy and nutritious options on menus.

“All of the companies analyzed in this report are required by law to list the calorie count next to each menu item, and others go further and offer more nutritional information to help customers make an informed decision.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “This government will take action to prevent disease and tackle the obesity crisis head-on, protecting the NHS and helping people live well for longer.”

“We will shift our focus from treatment to prevention by imposing strict restrictions on junk food advertising and banning children from buying sugary, high-caffeine energy drinks.”

Lead researcher Dr Monique Tan cited the following five dishes as examples of products sold in take-away outlets that were found to be unhealthy when analyzed using the three different government-approved methods of measuring nutrition. All have an “unbalanced nutrient profile.”

• Pizza Hut’s Pepperoni Feast – “excessive” amounts of total fat, saturated fat and salt and more calories than considered ideal under government guidelines

• Memphis BBQ King Double from Burger King – too much total fat, saturated fat and salt

• Fino Pitta at Nando’s – high in total fat, saturated fat and salt and too many calories

• Halloumi fries at JD Wetherspoon – ‘excessive’ salt, saturated fat and total fat content

• Pret a Manger ham and Greve baguette – too much salt, saturated fat and total fat and too many calories, measured by official nutritional analysis criteria