3.09 is BST British Snack Time

28 October 2006

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As British Summer Time draws to a close this weekend

27th October 2006, London - The end of British Summer Time this Sunday heralds the onset of longer nights, plummeting temperatures and the unveiling of Britain’s favourite snacking time (British Snack Time) as 3.09! The Wrigley Company has identified this mid-afternoon moment as the precise point when Britons are most likely to feel the need to reach for comforting treats as the clocks go back.

Whether cooped up in the office or stuck in a traffic jam, a staggering 50% of people surveyed confessed that they mindlessly munch food out of sheer boredom alone.

‘Copy cat’ chomping is also an issue for one in seven people questioned, as they acknowledge that the mere sight of someone else snacking prompts them to scoff food unnecessarily!

A third confessed to mindlessly munching foods when they’re not even hungry, with women (57%) falling victim more frequently than men (44%).

Women (31%) were also more likely than men (17%) to munch food when they’re stressed.

A proportion of those questioned are beginning to take action to battle the Winter mindless munch and make the most of 3.09 - British Snack Time. 25% of people questioned are using methods such as chewing sugarfree gum instead of consuming stealth calories (giving a sweet tasting boost without the guilt). 55 % are distracting themselves with a drink of water to suppress ‘imaginary hunger’.

"We’ve all experienced mindless munching - eating when we’re not hungry, or when we’re bored. There are steps we can take to manage the urge at 3.09 like chewing sugarfree gum, talking to a colleague or simply thinking of something else to do!." says Dr David Bull.

Carelessly consuming through out the day and reaching for lots of comfort food can be a short-lived pleasure when considering the calorific consequences. In fact, the research shows that one in six people admit that they would have no trouble controlling their weight if they could control their mindless munching.

A piece of gum is between five and ten calories and in fact, the act of chewing gum can use about 11 calories an hour. A recent study from the University of Liverpool, by Dr. Marion Hetherington, found chewing gum before snacking can help reduce hunger, diminish cravings and decrease snack intake by 36 calories (1).

David Bull’s top tips for managing the mindless munch