A LOVE of tasty snacks is derailing Brits’ attempts to be healthy, a study suggests.
Scientists looking into grazing habits said their results show the UK is “a nation of snackers”, with 95 per cent of us munching between meals.
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But there is a mismatch between people’s meals and snacks.
A study of 854 people by King’s College London and ZOE found one in four Brits eat healthy meals, but give in to temptation during the day and gorge on cookies, cakes and pies, undoing the benefits of their nutritious lunches and dinners.
Processed treats high in sugar and fat are linked to weight gain and raised risk of heart disease and stroke, the team said.
They found people got around 24 per cent of their daily calories from snacks – around 500kcal every day.
According to the findings, Brits ate an average of 2.3 snacks per day and three in 10 indulged in more than two.
The most popular nibbles ranged from fruit and nuts, to granola, cereal bars, cheese, butter, cakes and pies.
But snacking isn’t always harmful, researchers said.
People who ate nutritious snacks were actually healthier than those who ate none.
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Data from the Zoe Predict study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, showed that people picking at nuts and fresh fruit had a healthier weight and felt less hungry.
Meanwhile, those munching on highly processed and sugary treats had a higher BMI and ‘visceral fat mass’ – hidden fat that’s wrapped stored in the belly and around the organs.
Researchers linked both of these to a higher risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Dr Sarah Berry from King’s College from King’s College London and chief scientist at Zoe, said: “Considering that nearly a quarter of our calories come from snacks, swapping cookies, crisps and cakes to healthy snacks like fruit and nuts is a simple way to improve your health.”
Meanwhile, senior scientist Dr Kate Bermingham added: “Making sure we eat a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, protein and legumes is the best way to improve your health.”
Analysis shows that the timing of our treats also plays a role, with snacking after 9pm linked to higher blood sugar and fat levels.
Late night grazers are also more likely to go for unhealthy grub because tiredness makes it harder to resist temptation.
Around a quarter of Brits are classed as obese and 38 per cent as overweight, which experts link to poor diet and lack of exercise.
Both up the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.