SMOTHERED in cheese, piled high with processed meat and packed full of salt — it's a meal that should come with a government health warning.

But while burgers and fries cop the blame for the obesity crisis, the humble pizza slice has escaped the spotlight. Until now.

In a quest to reduce the nation's waistlines the Heart Foundation is waging war against major pizza chains. With Australians devouring a whopping 190 million takeaway pizzas every year, the industry stands accused of fuelling the obesity epidemic by promoting triple-meat options and crusts stuffed with extra cheese.

A Heart Foundation analysis of Pizza Hut and Domino's menus found the average pizza contained more than five grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat — a person's entire daily allowance in one meal.

It comes as a small family-run pizza chain today becomes the first in the industry to receive a Heart Foundation tick for six menu choices.