Experiment by Google spies suggests simple solution to stop mindless snacking at work
Pantry design at tech giant's office could determine whether employees gain 2.5-pounds in a year
They looked like any other Googlers, tapping away on their laptops while sitting in a common area in the Google New York office.
But in reality, they were spies.
Scientists had sent them there on a single reconnaissance mission: observe the snack choices people made while walking through the nearby "micro-kitchen," or the break room.
The micro-kitchen was designed so that one beverage station was located about six feet from a snack bar containing M&Ms, nuts, and other treats. The other beverage station was located about 18 feet away.
The team of scientists, which included Google's global food, health, and wellness program manager, wanted to know: Was the setup of the micro-kitchen affecting people's snacking behavior? Specifically, would Googlers who took a drink from the station closer to the snacks be more likely to grab one than those who used the beverage station farther away?
After analysing over 1,000 beverage choices, the researchers concluded that the design of the micro-kitchen did, in fact, have a big effect on snacking behavior.
Googlers who visited the beverage station closer to the snacks were a whopping 69 per cent more likely to snag a snack than those who used the beverage station farther away. The findings, cited by the Association for Psychological Science, will be published in the August issue of the journal Appetite.