30857-21EURO 2004: IT'S official supporting England carries weighty health risks.

Today sees the start of Euro 2004 and food experts are worried that men could be tempted to bite off more than they can chew.

To help drive home the importance of a balanced diet, supermarket giant Sains-bury's is offering free health MOTs throughout June.

I called into the Bridgemead store and spoke to Pat McDonald, an in-store food advisor with 15 years' experience.

"Just because the football is on doesn't mean you should forget about your diet," she said sternly, as she measured my waist.

Fortunately, at 36 inches I'm in reasonable shape although I'm told that there is little room for complacency.

She said: "Once you hit 40 inches you're carrying a substantial health risk, but with even a 37-inch waist there's an increased chance of getting cardiovascular disease."

Although one in four British men are obese, many of us seem unconcerned.

A recent survey carried out by the supermarket showed just four per cent rank their waistline as more important than football.

Next my diet went under the spotlight the bit I was dreading the most.

Having overslept, leaving me with just 10 minutes to iron a shirt, have a shower and get dressed, I was forced to skip my usual breakfast of cornflakes, a banana and a glass of orange juice.

"That's not good," was the immediate response from the food pro.

"It really is the most important meal of the day and you should never skip it.

"It's also the ideal time to pack in some fruit and veg. We should all be eating at least five portions a day, but many don't."

It wasn't all bad news, however.

Like most blokes, I'm looking forward to a few beers and pizzas between now and the Euro 2004 final. And surprisingly my frank admission doesn't earn me looks of despair from Mrs McDonald.

She said: "A beer or two every day is not going to do you much harm.

"And it's a lot healthier than saving your quota up for binge sessions at the end of the week. You should watch how much you have though."

Then came the best news that I've heard all week pizzas could actually be good for me. "It can be another good way of getting up to your five portions of fruit and veg target," said Mrs McDonald. "But meat-eaters should go easy on the red meat."

With lengthy spells sat glued in front of a TV, fans should consider some form of exercise if they don't want their guts to grow.

Living in Gorse Hill around two miles from our Victoria Road offices I like to walk to work each day. This got me a thumbs-up. "We should be aiming to do at least 20 minutes of exercise three times a week to stay healthy. This is even more important as many overindulge and eat too much," said Mrs McDonald.

Anyone wanting a Size Matters health check should call 01793 420046.

Kevin Shoesmith