World Cup fans will double their calorie intake by accompanying their viewing pleasure with snacks.
As World Cup fever hits, they’ll consume an average of three pints, a bag of sharing crisps and a portion of chips each per game – totting up to an extra 2,544 calories a day.
So those die-hard fans who plan to watch all 64 games will scoff around 162,816 extra calories on top of their daily intake. That’s around 670 bars of chocolate or 450 burgers.
Of course, getting together with our nearest and dearest to enjoy the beloved game has to be accompanied by a swig of something chilled and a few salty snacks – it’s all part of the bonding experience.
Though, many fans partial to a spot of footie food aren’t aware of the whopping extra calories they’re taking in.
According to a study, 75 per cent of men admit they never take note of what they are eating, claiming they are too busy to worry and not too unconcerned about calories.
One in six men believe they are allowed to eat between 3,000 and 5,000 calories a day, almost double the recommended 2,500.
And many reckon they're okay to consume 53g of saturated fat daily, twice the daily recommendation.
Throw in the increase in portion sizes, specifically for sharing bags, and our tendency to enjoy snacks as a social activity, it’s no surprise that many fans will double their daily calories intake over the footie season.
Fear not, a little indulgence is of course acceptable, though we’d recommend making plenty of time for some physical activity in between your screen time. Round up your pals for a little healthy competition with a group treadmill challenge, or book your group onto one of our studio classes, to get the blood pumping to your favourite playlist.
Throughout the World Cup, Village pubs will be serving a selection of brand new Legend Burgers, for a tempting weekend treat. Well worth working up a sweat for! Though if you’re feeling the excess of indulgence, go for a light bite from our summer specials menu. A refreshing corn and crab gazpacho, poached salmon or swordfish nicoise salad is the perfect way to tempt your tastebuds, without piling on the pounds.
So this World Cup, be treatwise, or be sure to book in a post-game stint in your local Village gym to work those burgers off…
* A poll of 2,000 men, commissioned by Fitness First
