Six major fast food companies have pledged to reduce the amount of salt and fat in their meals.

McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC have thrown their weight behind the Government’s anti-obesity push, as have Nando’s, Wimpy and Subway – now the fast food chain with the most UK outlets.

The restaurants have also agreed to serve more salad as part of the initiative, which comes after the Government earlier this year secured similar commitments from the catering industry.

Data from the Food Standards Agency suggests UK consumers on average eat 20% more saturated fat than they should, contributing to thousands of death a year from heart disease.

“Eating out should be fun and we don't want to change that but we believe restaurants can help make it easier for us to take healthier choices when dining out,” said FSA head of nutrition Rosemary Hignett.

“These companies' commitments, together with the positive work that many have been doing for a number of years, show just how much is possible. We hope that other restaurant chains will be able to emulate this exciting work.”