Consuming a healthy diet takes plenty of vigilance. Not only are many foods filled with synthetic additives or sweeteners, but they can also be cheaper or more easily obtained than fresh, natural ingredients. When fruits and vegetables are in short supply, taking vitamin supplements may improve dietary health.

Of course, one’s eating habits can be affected by any number of subtle factors. For instance, a literature review published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine associated hours spent watching television with consumption of fatty or salty foods.

Based on analysis of 53 prior investigations into the effects of TV viewing on diet, researchers at the UK’s Loughborough University found a direct correlation between time spent in front of the tube and the consumption of snack foods in place of fresh produce.

Co-author Stuart Biddle explained that TV exerts a negative influence on diet in more than one way.

“Not only are television viewers exposed to numerous advertisements that can influence the type of food they desire and consume, but television can also act as a distraction, resulting in a lack of awareness of actual food consumption,” he explained.