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Diet-sized snacks as fattening

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Woman eating crisps

Little and often is a mantra many dieticians preach, but new research suggests that diet-sized snacks in-between meals actually encourage people to eat more.

Mini versions of fattening snacks including crisps, biscuits and sweets are becoming more and more popular as a way of warding off hunger pangs.

However, the research suggests that the size of the packaging could be counterproductive, as consumers convince themselves they can eat more of the product because it comes in a smaller package.

Weight-conscious students were surveyed for the research and admitted that they did not have the willpower to stop at one packet of small crisps and ended up eating more than they planned.

Psychologist Nadine Field would ring a bell with many people who ate their way through several smaller packets of chocolate and sweets in one sitting.

'You are just more conscious of what you are eating if you have a proper-sized snack. Having a smaller size is a comforting delusion really. Most of us have done this at one time or another.'

Thursday 3 July 2008

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I am a dietitian and I think the article is misleading. We advise people to eat 3 meals a day and 3 snacks a day to avoid them feeling hungry eating the foods you have mentioned here(crisps, chocolate etc).
When we advise people to eat snacks we mean things like fresh or dried fruit, vegetables, yoghurts, vegetables and humous, a slice of toast or crackers with cream cheese and tomato slices not junk food!
Comment by Leanne Green on July 03 14:11