The best bar none... Snickers is top choc

IT is news that will horrify some, shame others – and, for the sweet-toothed among us, come as a welcome surprise.

In an attempt to make us think about the extent of our indulgence, a study has revealed Britons will eat 18,144 chocolate bars, cakes and biscuits in their lifetime.

And top of our favourites turns out to be the Snickers bar.

A survey found the average adult will treat themselves to 7,560 chocolate bars, 2,268 slices of chocolate cake and 8,316 chocolate biscuits over the course of their lives.

The British Heart Foundation study found – on top of this – we will also enjoy 3,024 mugs of hot chocolate, 126 Easter eggs and tuck into 2,898 miniature chocolates.

Snickers – once known as Marathon – just beat the classic Cadbury Dairy Milk to be the nation’s best-loved chocolate bar. Galaxy came third place in the poll of 2,000 adults, controversially followed by Bounty, which beat KitKat in fourth place. Classic bars Twix and Twirl crept into the top ten, as well as Mars Bar and Flake.

Jo Pullin, from the BHF, said: ‘We know that chocolate isn’t an essential part of a healthy diet but is a much-loved indulgence in the UK.

‘Whether it’s in cakes, biscuits, a tasty dessert or a chocolate bar, there are so many options available it’s easy to lose track of how much chocolate we’re consuming.’ The study also found adults will enjoy 6,048

Bounty, Snickers, Milky Ways and KitKats over their lifetime.

More than two-fifths confessed to being chocoholics, with 45 per cent saying they would struggle to give it up. Around 40 per cent agreed chocolate is their favourite food, and the same percentage said they couldn’t live without it. And the 21 per cent who have attempted to give up chocolate bars or treats lasted an average 20 days before caving in to their cravings.

The research, conducted via OnePoll, found 57 per cent struggle to give up food that they know is bad for them.

The figures have been released ahead of the BHF’s ‘Dechox’ campaign – the charity’s annual challenge to the nation to give up chocolate for March. The campaign raises funds for research into heart disease.