Wonderful Pistachios – Office Weight Gain

Wonderful Pistachios – Office Weight Gain

Office workers in Australia are gaining on average 3.3kg a year (and this was only the Sydney statistic.. it actually was slightly higher on a national basis)…WOW!

Having started my career as a corporate health nutritionist and consulting with office workers through Corporate Nutrition Melbourne for the last 6 years I am not shocked by the outcomes of this study that was commissioned by Wonder Pistachios recently; however what I can say, is that the figures discovered definitely state the case for more workplaces pushing to create supportive environments to promote healthy behaviours.

Some healthy and some not so healthy snacks including wonderful pistachios (healthy!)!

I thought I would share with you all the media release that went out earlier this week which I was a part of as one aspect of my role as the Australian spokesperson for Wonderful Pistachios. You will see how startling the figures are for yourself this way!

I look forward to you reading follow up articles in a range of health publications and/or hearing my radio interviews throughout the country that have been, and will continue to be recorded over the coming month.

Wonderful pistachios featured with some other snacks

Office work equals 3.3kgs a year

Sydney, Australia – Almost two-thirds (63%) of Australian office workers gain an average of 3.3 kilograms a year according to research released today by Wonderful™ Pistachios*.

Office Work Leads To “Snack Envy”

The study revealed 71% of office workers experience “snack envy” admitting they’re more inclined to join in when they see their colleagues enjoying a snack.

One in four (27%) female office workers admit they can’t resist the temptation of unhealthy treats when they haven’t prepared snacks in advance while 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.

Kara Landau, Australian Accredited Practising Dietitian and author of the Clean Separation said: “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.”

The “New” Office Snacking Culture

Snacking culture is evidently an important part of workplace life – spending $984 on office snacks per year, the average employee snacks up to three times a day while 39% keep a ‘snack stash’ in their office drawer.

With Australian office workers spending an average of 5.8 hours at their desk, 65% start grazing as early as 10am, while those (18%) who work late are more likely to snack after 7pm.

Kara Landau says: “Snacking in itself isn’t bad, but it’s all about the choices we make.  Wise snacks can be part of a balanced diet and whether it’s at the office or out and about, it’s helpful to plan ahead and have wise snack choices at hand – like a handful of nuts. 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.”

For people looking for a wise snack at work, Wonderful™ Pistachios Unsalted flavour is a go-to option. Wonderful™ Pistachios is a great tasting snack packed with flavour, crunch and nutritional benefits and is fun to share whether in the office or on the go – perfect for every day snacking. Need another reason to go nuts for snacking on Wonderful™ Pistachios? Recent research from Harvard University and published in New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the benefits of snacking on nuts go up as the number of servings goes up, too. Bottom line: more nuts, more benefits. Go for a daily handful of pistachios as part of a healthy diet.

“Pistachios are a delicious, convenient and fun snack for office workers and the good news is that 30 nuts are about 448 kilojoules – a sensible snack choice. Evidence also suggests that consumption of in-shell pistachios may promote mindful eating, since you have to crack open the shells and it takes longer to eat them. Leaving leftover shells on your desk would also provide a visual cue about the amount you have eaten!” add Landau.

As you can see…a pretty interesting read!

Next time you are about to spend money on an unhealthy snack just remember this article, and think about what that extra $1000 could be spent on…I’m thinking an airfare somewhere..and maybe a packet of pistachios for on the plane 😉

Wonderful pistachios – pairing healthy snacks

Until next time,

TD x