Anyone who works somewhere with other people around know that it’s pretty much impossible to avoid snacking on the job, what with all those horrible free cupcakes and the endless parade of homemade baked goods. It is anathema to those trying to eat things that are not laden with sugar and fat. Which is why no one around here is surprised to hear that a study finds workplace snacking is the downfall of dieters.

After all, many adults spend many hours chained to a desk or otherwise marooned in a workspace, during which time, you’ve gotta eat at some point.

Or at all the points: Because we can squirrel away tidbits and treats in the corners of a desk or office, snacking all day is far from hard, says a study done by Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University and author of Slim By Design, reports USA Today.

In his research, participants ate on average 2.2 more pieces of chocolate when the candy was in clear jars instead of opaque, and 1.8 more pieces when the candy was placed near their desk as opposed to across the room.

The siren song of the communal candy dish can often prove too strong to overpower the urge to be healthy, so get those treats in an opaque bowl and as far away from you as possible.

USA Today spoke to a nutritionist who advised stocking up on lots of whole foods instead of processed stuff, and healthy choices like nuts, seeds and trail mix. And then your stomach was like, “Yeah, but I want chocolate and white cheddar popcorn, so shut up.”

Most insidious diet breaker: snacks at your desk [USA Today]

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