New research suggests that eating "on the go" could be a quick way to pack on the pounds, CBS News reported.

Researchers at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom found dieters who eat "on the go" may increase their food intake later in the day which could lead to weight gain and obesity.

The study also found that while walking around triggered more overeating compared to eating during other forms of distraction such as watching TV or having a conversation with a friend.

"This may be because walking is a powerful form of distraction which disrupts our ability to process the impact eating has on our hunger. Or it may be because walking, even just around a corridor, can be regarded as a form of exercise which justifies overeating later on as a form of reward," Jane Ogden, lead author of the study, said in a statement.

For the study, researchers examined 60 women who were either dieters or non-dieters and gave them all a cereal bar to eat under three different conditions, Medical Daily reported. The first group was asked to watch a five-minute clip of the sitcom "Friends" while eating. The second group was asked to walk around the corridor while consuming the cereal bar, and the third group was simply asked to sit opposite a friend and have a conversation. After the experiment, participants completed a follow-up questionnaire and a taste test involving four different bowls of snacks, including chocolate, carrot sticks, grapes and crisps. How much they ate was measured after they left the room.

Researchers found that dieters ate more snacks at the taste test if they had eaten the initial cereal bar whilst walking around and specifically they ate five times more chocolate.

"Even though walking had the most impact, any form of distraction, including eating at our desks can lead to weight gain. When we don't fully concentrate on our meals and the process of taking in food, we fall into a trap of mindless eating where we don't track or recognize the food that has just been consumed," Ogden explained.

The findings are detailed in the Journal of Health Psychology.