Office workers are among the most likely to gain weight thanks to peer pressure and office snacking culture.
A survey by Wonderful Pistachios found the average office worker spends around $984 on office snacks per year, and 39 per cent keep a ‘snack stash’ in their office drawer.
Aussies are at their desk for an average of 5.8 hours per day, and 65 per cent start grazing as early as 10am, the first of three snacks per day.
Kara Landau, Australian Accredited Practising Dietitian and author of the Clean Separation commented on the survey findings. Although snacking in itself isn’t bad, weight gain can be the result of the choices we make.
“Keep smart snack choices readily available to avoid hunger, and store the junk snacks out of sight – perhaps the desk drawer or a communal cupboard – so visual temptation is minimised,” Landau said.
The survey also found nearly three quarters of office workers (71 per cent) experience “snack envy” – essentially that they’re more inclined to join in when they see their colleagues enjoying a snack.
Female workers are more likely to cave into temptation, with one in four admitting they can’t resist the temptation of unhealthy treats when they haven’t prepared healthier snacks in advance. Additionally, almost two in five women (37%) succumb to a sneaky snack at special occasions such as birthdays or office parties.
Interestingly, stress is also a top trigger for snacking particularly for women who are almost twice as likely (28%) to snack compared to men (16%) in high-pressured situations.
“People often feel overwhelmed by work and snack without thinking twice about what is nutritionally beneficial, reaching for the biscuit tin when they are under the pump or when their colleagues are indulging, using food as a distraction to get through the day. Largely it seems, impulsive and mindless behaviour are to blame for poor snack choices,” Landau added.
