One-third of people in Britain eat two meals a day or fewer, poll claims

Average adult snacks twice per day, research suggests

(Getty)

The era of "three square meals a day" is over, with one-third of people in Britain eating twice a day or fewer, according to a poll.

While the staple for most adults is breakfast, lunch and dinner, the survey of 2,000 UK adults found 27 per cent were only having two meals per day on average, with 5 per cent only eating one meal.

Research by Swisse Me, a fashionable snack company, looked at the diet and exercise regimes of people in Britain.

Men were found to be more likely to skip a meal, with 62 per cent of women having three meals per day compared to 56 per cent of men.

It was also found the average adult snacked twice per day.

Swisse Me said in a statement: “Snacks play an important role in diets, helping to gain essential nutrients and maintaining energy levels when needed."

Swisse Me investigated what people consumed as part of their fitness and wellness regimes.

One-third of the respondents said they had vitamin and mineral tablets such as iron and cod liver oil.

When people are working out, 37 per cent said they would stop and have a snack, while 40 per cent said they did not eat while exercising. One-quarter said they did not tend to take a break while working out at all.

Fruit was found to be the snack people in Britain were most likely to have after a workout, followed by energy bars and chocolate.

Completing the top five snacks were biscuits, smoothies and protein-based shakes.

SWNS