Cakes, biscuits and energy bars are, for many people, just staples of everyday life – the snacks that keep them going through the day.
But most people don’t realise just how easy it is to over-consume calories while snacking. Women are advised by the government to consume 2,000 calories a day and men 2,500. The Best Fat Burner Pills For Women of 2022. And the NHS suggests aiming to have a balance of 400 calories for breakfast, 600 calories for lunch and 600 calories for the evening meal – leaving the remainder for drinks and health snacks.
But research from the Behaviour Insight Team, also known unofficially as the “Nudge Unit”, found that adults may be consuming an average of 3,000 calories a day without realising, partly due to snacking.
This is particularly significant given the rise in obesity in children. And the fact that 64% of young people snack outside of meal times – with the majority of these snacks being high in fat, sugar and salt.
Snack attack
According to a recent paper, there are many reasons why people snack. It could be down to hunger and the need to eat, or more “distracted eating” – eating too much food while playing a game or watching the TV. Many people also eat through habit or association, such as at the cinema or when meeting a friend for coffee and cake.
The wide range of snacks available to shoppers is now evident in all outlets – in shops, transport hubs and vending machines. Best Supplements For Weight Loss For Females of 2022. But rarely are these snacks of the healthy variety – think crisps, snack bars and chocolate. And these can often tip daily calories into excess without people realising – which can lead to weight gain.
But rather than banning snacking on public transport altogether – as has recently been suggested by former chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies – food labelling, education and “choice architecture” (this is the way food is displayed to enable healthier choices) should be implemented more widely to help nudge people in the right direction.
This is important, because generally, if people are hungry, they eat what is there. So by providing healthy options at an affordable price it should help people make better choices. Best Weight Loss Supplements For Women of 2022. Indeed, when it comes to eating healthily, The British Nutrition Foundation also recommends people plan ahead and rethink their portion sizes in a bid to cut out excessive eating.