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Couch potato snacking may lead to healthier eating

We are all guilty of couch potato eating at one time or another. Who hasn't plopped themselves down on the couch after a long workday, turned on the television and mindlessly reached for the quickest snack in sight?

Well, it turns out, that behaviour may have potential benefits to our health.

New research from St. Bonaventure University in New York shows that people will often chose healthy snacks that are close by and within reach over their preferred unhealthy snack that requires work to get.

"It says that (laziness) has an advantage for health," researcher Gregory Privitera, an associate professor of psychology, tells PostMedia. "Even when there's another preferred food in the environment, people will still take whatever is easiest to get to."

The small study, published in the journal Appetite, involved 56 participants with varying body mass indexes who were asked to sit by themselves at a table until researchers arrived. They were told to help themselves to the snacks provided, either a bowl of high-fat popcorn or a bowl of apple slices.

Also see: Why our mood swings control our eating habits

The participants were divided into three groups -- those who had the apple slices within arm's reach and the popcorn at a table two metres away, those who had the popcorn within arm's reach and the apple slices at the table, and those who had both snacks within their reach.

It was later discovered through a follow-up survey that the majority of people preferred the popcorn. Yet surprisingly, people consumed the snack that was closest to them in the greatest quantity, regardless of their preference.

For the group who had both snacks close by, they ate the most food overall from both bowls.

Also see: The truth about boosting your metabolism

"This is one idea that's simple, it's practical and it can work," says Privitera. "In terms of your kids wanting snacks, make healthier food freely available. They'll probably go for it, simply because it's an easier option."

His work reaffirms past research from Brian Wansink at Cornell University that shows when healthier buffet options are placed at the beginning of a buffet line, people will eat more healthy food overall compared to when unhealthier food options led the line.

What are your thoughts on the findings of this study? Have you noticed a similar pattern with your snacking habits?