A study in Hong Kong has found the tiny, mouthwatering Chinese snacks are high in fat and sodium and excessive consumption will increase the risk of obesity.

"You definitely cannot have a dim sum meal every day because it's not possible to get a balanced diet that way," said Ho Yuk-yin, a consultant with the government's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, who led the research.

The study on the Chinese culinary delights, which date back to the Sung Dynasty (960-1279), is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, Ho told reporters Wednesday.

Researchers analyzed 75 popular dim sum snacks for carbohydrates, protein, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, sugar, sodium and calcium.

Results showed that total fat, saturated fat and sodium were generally high while calcium and dietary fiber were low.

Some of the chief culprits were marinated jelly fish, which contained up to 18 grams of total fat a plate, or 230 calories. An innocent looking piece of steamed beancurd sheet roll was found to contain 12 grams of fat, or 140 calories.

Ho warned that excessive intake of saturated fat in the long run will increase the risk of chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, while too much salt will increase blood pressure.

For dim sum diehards, Ho recommended that they select dim sum dishes sensibly, ordering more steamed buns, for example, and fewer pan-fried and deep-fried items.

They should also eat half a plate of boiled vegetables, minus any sauce, and complement their diet later in the day with high-calcium foods such as dairy products, soybean curd and green leafy vegetables.

Hong Kong people are especially fond of dim sum and families gather frequently in tea-houses where they can snack for hours.  ¶ 3:15 PM