What Is Food Noise? And How to Quiet It
Are you always hungry or snacking, sometimes even after a meal? You can experience unexplained hunger if you have conditions such as anxiety, type 2 diabetes or thyroid disorders, or take certain medications such as corticosteroids, tricyclic antidepressants, or cyproheptadine. But sometimes, hunger is related to food noise.
Food noise is a term that’s been around since 2006, but it gained popularity over the last few years. It refers to persistent and intrusive thoughts about food, possibly triggered by food security, hunger, boredom, fatigue, food addiction and food preoccupation. It’s more than just cravings; in fact, Tufts Medicine describes food noise as a “psychological tug-of-war that can disrupt your relationship with food.”
Our environment can influence whether we experience food noise and to what extent. We’re constantly bombarded with food commercials on television and social media platforms, and these ads are designed to have a psychological effect on us. Junk food ads elicit positive emotions, whereas healthy food ads do not, according to a University of Michigan study. Many foods available to us, whether at the grocery store or in a restaurant, are ultra-processed and high in fat, salt, sugar and chemicals that activate your brain’s reward system, leading to cravings. More than 90 percent of people experience cravings and they’re often for processed foods that are high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. Many people also experience insomnia and disordered sleep, and sleep deprivation has been linked to cravings and weight gain. And lastly, many people restrict food and skip meals in an attempt to manage weight, which can result in cravings.
This is why so many Americans have turned to GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist drugs. These drugs, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), mimic hormones. They were initially designed to manage type 2 diabetes but have since been adapted for weight loss and other uses. They suppress signals to the reward center of the brain and ghrelin; the hormone associated with hunger. As a result, these drugs help control appetite, regulate blood sugar, reduce cravings and quiet food noise.
For a while, GLP-1 and GIP drugs seemed like a miracle – an answer to America’s obesity crisis. In fact, GLP-1 and GIP drugs had been so effective at quieting food noise, researchers began studying if they can quiet impulsive behavior, binge eating and addictions, particularly alcohol and opioids.
However, many people choose to stop taking these drugs within two years because of the expense and coverage challenges. The drugs can also cause nausea, affect your pancreas and vision and accelerate aging.
When you stop taking these drugs, the food noise returns and so does the weight. International researchers found that one year after stopping weekly injections of 2.4 mg of semaglutide and lifestyle interventions, participants regained two-thirds of the weight they lost while taking the drug, according to a study published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Even if you choose to continue taking these drugs, there seems to be a weight loss threshold, referred to as the “Ozempic plateau.” It’s usually noticed after about one year of taking a GLP-1 or GIP. This can occur if you’ve lost muscle mass, as muscle mass fuels metabolism. And of course, your body adapts to the medication, which means some food noise may have returned.
This means you can experience food noise, regardless of your history with GLP-1 and GIP drugs. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help control it.
Follow a healthy lifestyle. Get good sleep, exercise, eat a well-balanced diet that limits ultra-processed foods and understand portions and calorie control.
Manage stress. Stress can cause us to overeat and binge. If our levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, stay high for long, it can lead to increased consumption.
Replace cravings with healthier foods. Swap potato chips with air-popped popcorn, milk chocolate with dark chocolate that’s at least 70% cacao, soda with sparkling water with a slice of lemon, lime or orange, white pasta with lentil or chickpea pasta, store-bought dips with homemade guacamole or hummus.
Stay hydrated. Drink water to stave off hunger and cravings.
You should also work with your primary care doctor. They can help you adopt healthier lifestyle behaviors, which reduce food noise and help manage weight. They also may be able to recognize what’s triggering your food noise.
MDVIP-affiliated physicians also have more time to understand your health history and lifestyle and can develop a personalized wellness program for you that focuses on weight management. Find a physician near you and begin your partnership in health »