Mid-morning snacks may undermine dieting efforts

According to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, women dieters who grab mid-morning snacks lose less weight compared to those who abstain from it.

In the course of the year-long study, the researchers found that mid-morning snackers lost an average of 7 per cent of their total body weight while those who ate a healthy breakfast but did not snack before lunch lost more than 11 per cent of their body weight.

For the study, a snack was defined as any food or drink that was consumed between main meals.

"We think this finding may not relate necessarily to the time of day one snacks, but rather to the short interval between breakfast and lunch."

"Mid-morning snacking therefore might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger," said Anne McTiernan, the lead author of the study.