• by Mike Bloxham , Op-Ed Contributor, June 13, 2013

Snacking — like media consumption — is a behavior that is so prevalent that it occurs throughout the day across all demographics. The details of what and how much is consumed at different times may vary, but the consistency of the behavior does not.

A larger USA TouchPoints analysis sought to investigate all dimensions of the snacking behaviors of 18-34 year-olds. This extract looks specifically at the relationship between media consumption and snacking.

By understanding the percentage of media users within the target group that also snack while using different media, it becomes possible to better inform our understanding of which communication channels can be expected to deliver more people that are either considering snacking or actively snacking during their media use – thereby enabling us to leverage both relevance and potential receptivity.

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  While it may be fair to assume that snacking behaviors during periods of media use do not differ wildly between males and females, this is not always the case.

• While many media show a variance of only one or two percentage points in the number of males and females snacking while using those media, others show a more marked difference.  In every single case where the difference is more pronounced, it is the females within the sample that are more likely to snack. This is consistent with findings in the broader analysis that showed women snack more often than men.

• Particular media showing the greatest difference between men and women are TV (both Live, DVR and DVD – though the greatest difference here is with regard to Live TV), Print media and Tablet (the latter showing more than double the percentage of female users snacking while using the device).

• Many of the variances shown will be driven by situational factors, such as time of use and location, as well as whether the medium is being used alone or in the company of others.  Where a medium is being used as part of “Me-time” in pursuit of a break or a moment of personal relaxation and mild indulgence, perhaps a snack of one sort of another becomes a more likely accompaniment. That said, some of these snacking and media occasions will be driven by time poverty and the fact that on-the-go workers, Moms, Dads etc. find it hard to take the time for full meals for much of the day.