Would you gladly pay with a coronary on Tuesday for a hamburger today?

While McDonald’s phased out its super-sized portions back in 2004, other fast-food chains have capitalized on catering to those who have more than a wimpy-sized appetite.

The latest addition to the giant burger brigade is Burger King’s Triple Whopper. The company launched the burger — which boasts 3/4 pound of beef — to coincide with the theatrical release of “King Kong,” and it has since become a permanent addition to the menu.

While the company’s Web site (www.burgerking.com) brags that the “Big Guy” is “bigger, better, beefier,” it also contains a whopping 1,230 calories and 160 percent of the daily value of saturated fat that a person really needs.

Whether it’s Whopper patties stacked high enough to choke a giant gorilla or a Biggie Sized order of french fries and soda to accompany that Classic Triple at Wendy’s, a fast-food meal today looks considerably different than it did 50 years ago, according to Heather Boline, a registered dietitian with Freeman Health System. And that’s not a good thing.

“The portion sizes from back in the ’50s have nearly doubled,” she said. “It may explain why obesity and an earlier onset of Type 2 diabetes is on the rise.”

A major factor in the popularity of the king-sized portions has to do with economics, Boline said.

“We want more for our money. If restaurants can serve a larger portion for less money, the consumer will think he is getting a better value and opt for the larger size,” she said.

Monster calories

In a 2004 news release announcing the launch of the Monster Thickburger, Hardee’s described the 2/3-pound behemoth “a monument to decadence, yet still a throwback, as it features lots of meat, cheese and bacon on a bun ... the Monster Thickburger is certain to crush the hunger pangs of even the most famished burger lovers.”

The Double Bacon Cheese Thickburger packs in 1,300 calories, 40 grams of saturated fat and 2,110 milligrams of sodium.

Add in an order of fries and a 32-ounce soda, you’re looking at well over 2,000 calories in one meal, said Boline.

“Even if you are a young teen with a high metabolism, it’s going to be very difficult to balance the kind of activity you need for appropriate weight management,” she said.

Though it varies between age and gender, Boline said that the average person needs to consume about 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day.