Right now, the media is full of reports about the rising obesity epidemic and the endless list of diseases associated with being overweight and having a poor diet, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

Not only is eating well important for weight management, but what we put into our bodies can also actively boost long-term health. If you’re trying to lose weight, however, knowing exactly what to eat can be confusing, especially when it comes to snacking.

A recent survey of 2,000 British office workers by snack brand Popchips found that, while 72% said they started the day full of energy, most said they experienced slumps by the late morning, reaching for a snack at 11.30am.

Snacks are often seen as ‘bad’ when people are trying to lose weight, but ditching them altogether could be counterproductive.

“Snacks are certainly not the enemy,” said British Dietetic Association spokesperson Sioned Quirke.

“Of course, if we snack on unhealthy foods and drinks regularly, such as chocolate, sweets, biscuits, crisps and fizzy pop, these will significantly increase our calorie intake and affect our weight. That doesn’t mean we can never have these foods, we just need to look at the frequency.”

Ben Pratt, from leading health and fitness training provider Premier Training International (www.premierglobal.co.uk), agrees that letting yourself get too hungry can be detrimental.

“The hungrier you become – and we've all been there – the less wise your food choices are likely to be,” he said.

Being snack savvy could be beneficial to your waistline – and your health!

Make a meal of it If snacking is a problem for you, start by looking at your main meals. If you’re completely ravenous just an hour or two after a meal, then the chances are that meal wasn’t adequate.

“If we have a healthy, low GI (Glycemic Index) meal, this should sustain us until our next meal, but if we have a long gap between some meals, such as before the evening meal because of getting back from work late, then it’s OK to have a snack to sustain us if we make a healthy choice,” said Sioned Quirke.

Instead of vowing that you’'re only going to eat salad, or cutting out carbs altogether, look for a good balance of food groups and micronutrients.

However, though a mid-morning and afternoon snack is advisable, Sioned cautions against snacking late at night if you’re slimming. “Your evening meal should satisfy you,” she said, “and have plenty of fluids – lots of people forget to drink in the evening.”

Hungry or thirsty?

“A very common mistake I see is hunger vs thirst," said Sioned. “The chemical signal from the stomach to the brain is the same for hunger as it is for thirst, but many of us misinterpret it and assume we’re hungry so grab a snack. Many people are actually dehydrated when they think they’re hungry between meals.”

Stay hydrated by drinking around two litres of fluid a day (but not sugary, fizzy drinks).

Guzzle water and you’ll reap endless rewards like feeling more alert, better concentration and glowing skin. Tea (without sugar!) also counts towards hydration.

Fuel factor Lots of people worry that eating before or after exercising will ‘undo’ all their hard work, but, Ben Pratt explained, it isn’t as simple as that – plus snacking could help ensure you get the most out of your workout.

Avoid a hefty snack immediately before exercise, as the food will be sitting heavy in your stomach. Plus, in order for your food to be converted into fuel mode, you’ll need to have given it a little time to get to work – 45 minutes to an hour before exercising is ideal.

Snacking isn’t crucial for every workout though. “If you're going to do a half-hour cardio session, the body will be capable of providing energy to sustain that type of activity,” explained Ben. “But if it’s going to be an intense session and it’s five hours since your last meal, your blood sugar is going to be pretty low, so you may need to take on extra fuel to sustain your energy.”