Women at work consume 100,000 extra calories: Survey
Read on to find out what the contributing factors are and what you can do to change your habits.
100,000 calories is the amount of food women consume at work annually, according to a new survey.
The surprising quantity was revealed after an investigation was conducted on 1,000 women on behalf of Kallø, a Dutch organic food maker, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
The women admitted to consuming on average 2,240 extra calories every week. 2,000 calories a day is the ideal intake for adult women.
Chocolates, chips and sugary drinks were some of the items noted in the survey. Stress, exhaustion and boredom were some of the contributing factors women said they snacked on a lot at work.
Based on 45 working weeks, the annual total of 100,800 calories is the equivalent of 502 bars of chocolate.
Experts are "not surprised" by the information and warn that consuming 500 extra calories per day could lead to gaining 1lb a week. "I'm not surprised by these results but people need to be aware that an extra 3,500 calories a week, or 500 a day, means you put on an extra pound of fat," consultant dietician Helen Bond told the Daily Mail. Adding, "We live in this kind of grazing society, where we have an abundance of food 24 hours a day. With that comes the desire to snack."
The office "cake culture" is also adding to obesity and teeth issues, dentists have warned, the report revealed.
Gill Green, marketing director for Kallø, encourages women to "make intelligent food choices".
"We don't think eating sensibly has to mean saying no to all the things you love," she explained in the report. Sue Baic, a dietitian and nutritionist at Bristol University encouraged women to start the day with a filling breakfast before they head to work.