UK snackers eating up to 600 calories a day in treats, new survey reveals

Britons are consuming up to 600 calories a day on snacks — a quarter of the recommended daily intake for men and 30 per cent of the recommended amount for women — with the vast majority making nutritionally poor choices, new research by gut health company Zoe has found.

The survey of 1,000 participants revealed that 95 per cent of people snack regularly, yet most remain ill-informed about which options are genuinely healthy. Convenience and price topped the list of factors consumers consider when choosing a snack, with sugar content ranking only fourth.

What Britons are reaching for

Snack bars, cereal bars and protein bars were the most popular choice, selected by 68 per cent of respondents, with crisps, biscuits and chocolate following close behind. Nutritional experts recommend reaching instead for fibre- and nutrient-rich alternatives such as hummus, fruit, nuts and seeds. Unhealthy snacking has been linked to elevated body mass index and higher visceral fat mass, both of which increase the risk of metabolic conditions including stroke, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Quality, not frequency, is the real problem

Zoe Chief Scientist and King's College London Professor of Nutritional Sciences Professor Sarah Berry said the industry, not the habit, is at fault. "The UK is undeniably a nation of snackers, but for too long the snacking food category has optimised for convenience over nutritional quality and gut health," she said. "Snacking itself isn't the issue, it's the poor quality of what people are eating. Our research shows that snacking the right way can be highly beneficial for your gut microbiome and overall health."

When you eat matters as much as what you eat

Timing plays a significant role in snacking's impact on health. Zoe's research found that those who regularly graze after 9pm tend to experience the worst health outcomes overall. The company's data also revealed that faster eaters consume an average of 120 more calories per day than slower eaters, and that slowing eating speed by around 20 per cent can reduce daily energy intake by approximately 15 per cent.