HEALTHY eating outlets want the public to shed sugary snacks in favour of healthier options, as a study revealed Swindon people are turning to junk food for comfort.

A new study by rice brand Tilda reveals that 59 per cent of people in Swindon turn to cakes, sweets and chocolate when feeling stressed or in need of a mood boost but this might be having the opposite effect with people literally eating their way to sadness.

The 2,000-strong poll also showed that men are more likely to turn to healthy foods when they are stressed with women twice as likely to buy friends or colleagues sugary treats.

They have named their top-10 foods for happy moods which includes spinach, salmon, and aphrodisiac asparagus and pumpkin seeds – but just 20 per cent of Swindon people regularly stock up on these foods which boost brain function and help maintain a happy mood.

Peter Day, team leader at Swindon Slimming World, said the town was seeing a rise in membership due to bad eating habits.

He said: “There’s a huge amount of issues and reasons why people gain weight. I speak to members who are doing well but then drop back into their old habits.

“There is a problem around secret eating or simply eating as a convenience thing – it gives you a massive high as well as a crushing low when you do eat junk.

“In the same amount of time it takes to wait for a takeaway you can cook a healthy meal, like a curry.”

As well as dietary advice and planning, Slimming World offer group therapy, which Peter said helps long-term slimming success.

“It is about lifting that illusion and finding out why people eat badly, it is an emotional as well as a physical thing,” he said, “It’s about helping our members make a better decision.”

Elsewhere, Kris Talikowski, owner of The Core juice bar in Old Town, said business couldn’t be healthier with many customers on a New Year fitness kick. The Core’s Supergreen smoothie – a mix of fruits and vegetables blended with avocado has proved most popular.

He said: “We’re the healthiest restaurant in Swindon and that’s a shame because there should be more like us.

“I would really like to see restaurants, bars and cafes offering the variety of raw natural food that we do.”