Translated, its name means "touch your heart", but a Hong Kong report has found that the national dish--dim sum--may actually stop your heart.

Some of the bite-sized nibbles are so high in fat and sodium that regular consumption could lead to obesity and severe cardio-vascular illnesses, a study by the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department found.

Dim sum

Dim sum has been eaten as a mid-morning meal for centuries. It consists of minced meat, vegetables or seafood steamed or fried in a pastry wrap.

But Ho said tests on 75 different dim sum varieties showed they could be tiny time bombs.

"Foods high in total fat are energy-dense and excessive intake may increase the risk of obesity," he said. "Excessive intake of saturated fat in the long run will increase the risk of having chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and certain types of cancer."

High sodium levels could also lead to high blood pressure, he added.