What Is Food Noise? How to Quiet It

Constantly feeling hungry, experiencing strong food cravings, and thinking about food can be exhausting. These are all characteristics of "food noise," a term used to describe a preoccupation with food that can result in intense hunger and cravings. 

Various factors, such as medical conditions, medications, poor sleep, and high stress levels, can cause food noise. This phenomenon can make it challenging to maintain a balanced diet and manage your weight. 

Continue reading to learn more about food noise and how to manage it with lifestyle changes and medical treatments. 

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What Is Food Noise? 

Though it’s not a medical term, “food noise” describes when a person has increased appetite and cravings to the point where food and eating begin to dominate their thoughts. 

Constantly thinking about what to eat next, counting calories, and being preoccupied with satisfying hunger are all symptoms of food noise. 

Food noise is more common in people with overweight and obesity and is associated with overeating. Though not fully understood, these intrusive thoughts about food may be caused by an improper balance of the gut hormones that regulate appetite. 

How Does Food Noise Affect Your Eating Habits? 

Thinking about food throughout the day is an important mechanism that helps you stay nourished. This gut-brain connection helps communicate when to start eating and when you’re full. However, excessive food thoughts can be disruptive. 

Constant hunger and food cravings are common drivers of food noise. Research shows that food cravings can make it harder to eat a balanced diet and may lead to overeating. It may also interfere with weight management efforts. 

In addition, food noise can be disruptive to your productivity, making it hard to focus on daily tasks when all you can think about is your next meal. 

Can Ozempic and Wegovy Cause Food Noise?

You may have heard about food noise in relation to GLP-1 medications, such as Wegovy and Ozempic. These medications can significantly decrease food noise for many people.

GLP-1 medications can be used for treating type 2 diabetes, and some are approved for weight management. They work by slowing your stomach emptying rate, which regulates your appetite and helps you feel more satisfied after eating.

While this helps stabilize your blood sugar levels, it can also decrease appetite and cravings, lessening food noise. Additionally, some research shows that GLP-1 medications can impact dopamine levels, which can reduce the positive feeling that comes from eating highly palatable foods.   

Ways to Reduce Food Noise and Improve Eating Habits

You can lessen food noise (increased thoughts about food and cravings) by adjusting lifestyle habits and addressing any medical conditions that may be impacting your appetite. 

Identify Triggers 

The first step in reducing food noise is observing when you notice it most and identifying any triggers. Many lifestyle factors can increase appetite and cravings, making it hard to stop thinking about food. 

Research shows that routinely sleeping less than seven hours per night can impact the hormones that help regulate your appetite. Over time, inadequate sleep can result in more hunger and a dampened fullness signal, making food noise louder. 

High stress levels may also play a role in the presence of food noise because cortisol, the stress hormone, can increase your drive to eat. 

Practice Awareness and Mindful Eating 

One helpful strategy to develop your hunger and fullness signals is mindful eating. To start practicing mindfulness, you can use a hunger scale tool that rates your appetite on a scale of one to ten. One signifies extreme hunger, whereas ten indicates feeling overly full. 

Check in with your hunger before, during, and after eating with the goal of eating until comfortably satisfied. 

Next, consider your eating environment. Limiting distractions like screens during meal times can help you focus on your fullness cues. Make a conscious effort to savor the taste and texture of your food for both mental and physical satisfaction.

Take Time To Eat  

In today's fast-paced society, people often eat quickly or while on the go. However, taking the time to eat at a slower pace can help your brain receive the fullness signal at the right time and prevent overeating. 

Studies also suggest that slower eating can enhance satiety levels and decrease calorie consumption in subsequent meals.

Aim for slowing down and chewing your food thoroughly so your meal lasts around 20 minutes.

Avoid Skipping Meals

If you struggle with food noise, look at your meal timing throughout a typical day. If you commonly skip breakfast or have long gaps between your meals, you may notice increased appetite and food cravings for highly palatable foods. 

Monitor the level of food noise you experience when eating three meals plus snacks versus skipping meals. Regularly fueling your body can help regulate your appetite, fullness, and the quality of your food choices. 

Enhance Your Diet With Nutritious Foods 

Similarly, think about the composition of your meals and snacks. Including lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates with each meal can help you feel satisfied and keep your blood sugar balanced. 

This can minimize food noise because your body gets all of the macronutrients needed to feel satisfied and energized. 

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Seek Professional Help If Necessary 

It’s important to understand that while our diet and lifestyle may impact food noise, certain medications and conditions can increase your appetite and food cravings. 

Metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are conditions that may contribute to food noise. Medical treatment can help you manage these conditions and regulate your appetite. 

Antidepressants, birth control pills, and some medications for autoimmune diseases can increase natural hunger signals.

In addition, a preoccupation with food, among other symptoms, may be a warning sign of an eating disorder. 

If constant hunger and thoughts about food are interfering with your daily life, talk to your doctor about what factors may be causing this food noise.

When To Consider Medication

GLP-1 medications approved for weight management, such as Saxenda and Wegovy, may be an option for people with overweight or obesity who struggle with food noise. Because food noise can make adhering to balanced eating plans difficult, weight management can be challenging. 

Because of the way GLP-1 medications regulate a person’s appetite hormones, they can help reduce food noise and make it easier to focus on mindful eating and a nutritious diet. 

Consider discussing medication options with your doctor if lifestyle modifications have not helped reduce your food noise. 

Takeaway

Food noise is a colloquial phrase used to describe constant thoughts about food, hunger, and cravings. It’s more common in those with overweight or obesity and may result from metabolic dysfunction. 

GLP-1 medications used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, like Wegovy and Saxenda, may decrease food noise by slowing digestion and regulating appetite. Lifestyle changes, such as managing stress, getting enough sleep, mindful eating, and a balanced diet, can also help with food noise. 

Managing Food Noise with an RD 

If you struggle with constant food thoughts and cravings, a registered dietitian can help you understand any lifestyle factors that may be contributing to this and help you create a plan to reduce the food noise. 

A dietitian can also help you maximize the benefits of a GLP-1 medication if you’ve been prescribed one to manage weight or blood sugar levels. 

Find a dietitian who accepts insurance through Nourish.

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