What will you be snacking on today?
British women eat more unhealthy snacks than any other Western European nation, new research reveals.
In a study conducted by Fruyo – the new fruit-based snack from the makers of Total Greek Yoghurt – results reveal that females in the UK (44%) fill up on crisps, cookies, cake or chocolate more often than people in any other of the ten nations surveyed.
The bad news doesn’t end there. When asked if they snacked on healthy items such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables or low fat yoghurt, only 16% of British women respondents – the lowest amount of any country – claimed to do so. This is well behind Mediterranean countries such as Spain, at 27%, and Greece at 26%.
British people snack the third most of any Western European nation with exactly two a day, but unhealthy choices mean that – as a nation – we are often making the wrong snacking decisions.
The top three snacks of choice in the UK are biscuits/cookies, crisps and chocolate. In stark contrast, the number one choice for snacking in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Spain is fresh fruit. Over two fifths of British women admit to consuming more calories each day through snacking than we do at meal times.
Nutritionist and food writer, Fiona Hunter, said: “These results show exactly how wrong many women in the UK are getting it when it comes to snacking. It should be a positive occasion – using well-chosen products to provide important nutrients. But too many of us are instead turning to ‘grazing’, which involves grabbing something to fill up on that’s quick, easy and often unhealthy.
“When it comes to snacking, Brits need to plan ahead so that they’re not caught short in a moment of hunger and think about products which are high in protein so will keep them fuller for longer, helping to resist further temptation.”
Alison White, Spokeswoman for Fruyo, added: “There are clear differences between the countries. Mediterranean nations such as Spain, Greece and Italy eat less chocolate and crisps, and more fruit and yoghurt than we do in the UK, so we can definitely learn some lessons from them.”
Almost one in ten women in the UK regularly snacks in secret – the second highest amount, behind France, of the countries included in the Fruyo poll.
When it comes to ‘reasons why’, boredom – for 48% of women – is shown to be the number one motivator for snacking tendencies. This is followed by the urge for an unhealthy treat, stress and a lack of energy.
A lack of will power may also be to blame. When asked to grade their resolve for resisting indulgent treats, British women awarded themselves just 5.4 out of 10 – again, the lowest of all the nations quizzed.
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