eat around three meals per week at their desks

If you reach for a biscuit or a chocolate bar when you're a bit fed up, you're not alone.

Workers who are having a bad day at the office are more likely to devour lardy lunches and junk food, according to a new survey.

Comparably, workers with a positive approach to their job pick up healthy lunches like salads and low calorie sandwiches.

More than three quarters (77 per cent) of the 2,000 British workers surveyed, said their mood in the office 'definitely' impacted on the food they eat at lunch time.

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Workers having a rough day at the office are more likely to gorge on junk food at lunch. Half said they abandoned plans for a healthy lunch as soon as they were having a bad day

Half claim they always opt for a super healthy lunch on days their mood is happy and upbeat.

However, as soon as they were having a rough day, more than half (54 per cent) abandoned plans to eat healthy lunches like sushi and salads in favour of burgers, curries and pizza.

A bad day in the office was by far the most popular excuse for comfort eating, with 72 per cent of adults admitting they do this.

Roughly four meals a week are selected on the basis of the mood we are in, the poll found.

Dietitian Azmina Govindji, said: 'We all experience stressful, busy days, but missing meals altogether to save time is a false economy, as is rushing your food at your desk, or substituting a meal for a bar of chocolate or copious amounts of strong coffee.

'It's important to take some time out to savour your food, instead of devouring a sandwich in five minutes so you can get back to work.

'These habits can make you more prone to problems such as heartburn or indigestion, which could leave you feeling uncomfortable in the afternoon.

'Both heartburn and indigestion tend to be more common when we over-indulge on rich fatty food, have irregular eating habits and are more stressed.'

The typical worker will scoff on fast-food at their desk 38 times in an average year because they are in a foul mood, with 45 per cent claiming the worse their mood, the more indulgent their food choice.

The typical worker forks out £222 a year on junk food to improve their mood

Fortunately, 45 per cent of those quizzed said their typical weekday lunch is 'quite fresh', but 30 per cent described their work lunches as 'fatty' and 'greasy'.

The survey showed that reaching for fatty foods is not only bad for our waistlines, but our bank balances too – with the typical worker forking out £221.76 a year on junk food to improve their mood.

Not only do workers admit to eating poor quality food, 47 per cent said they rush their food down if they are having a busy or stressful day.

The average person said they consumed their lunch in just six minutes with an average three meals per week eaten at desks.

At the other end of the spectrum, a worrying 14 per cent of those surveyed report missing lunch all together as they simply don't have time to eat.

The humble sandwich is still the most popular meal to reach for, with chocolate voted the most desirable lunch.

Arguments with their other half, money worries and a bad nights' sleep were also triggers for reaching for sugary snacks and unhealthy foods.

Four in ten (41 per cent) adults encourage the rest of their family to join them in eating takeaways and fast food if they have experienced a bad day at work.

A spokesman for Gaviscon, who commissioned the survey, said: 'We can all relate to reaching for comfort food if we have had a bad day.

'If you are feeling stressed out, the default seems to be to reach for chocolate, crisps and indulgent foods as a 'treat'.

'However, it's not a treat and the 'high' you get from these foods rarely lasts long. Gorging on indulgent foods and heavy lunches often leaves you feeling bloated, sluggish and guilty.'