Long hours and boredom at work main reasons behind unhealthy snacking 'al desko'

A new study has claimed that putting in extra hours at work could mean piling on the pounds.

Your 9-to-5 could be the reason for that expanding waistline, with a recent survey showing that the workplace is the worst place for overindulging on unhealthy snacks.

The research, by Fruyo, revealed that over a quarter of diets fail due to unhealthy snacking "al desko", the Daily Star reported.

Cookies were the nation's biggest weakness, with 37 percent of people admitting to feasting on the doughy treats. A further 32 percent said chocolate was their downfall and for 30 percent it was crisps.

The findings also revealed that, while our favourite place to indulge is our desk, around one in 10 admitted to secret snacking behind their computers and even in the office toilets.

Boredom was the most common excuse for "al desko" snacking, with 41 per cent blaming a lack of mental stimulation for their bad snacking habits.

Over a third attributed a simple urge for an unhealthy snack as the reason for their diet lapse and 26 percent blamed a lack of energy.

Stress was also a factor, with 20 percent of office workers seeking solace in fatty foods.

Overall, marketing professionals were found to be the worst for workplace binges. They topped the unhealthy table with over half admitting to having one of the four Cs (chocolate, cake, crisps and cookies) every day.

Ironically, nearly half of health sector professionals also reach for the treats tin on a daily basis, with teachers and accountants not far behind.

Lawyers take bottom place, with only a quarter of them snacking on unhealthy food during work hours.