Food Noise: What is it? And, How to Turn Down the Volume

It’s that distant car alarm that keeps going off when you’re trying to sleep. Or, it’s like water dripping from a leaky faucet in the kitchen. You use ear plugs or you tighten the valve around the faucet, but the sound of the alarm or the dripping of the water just doesn’t stop.

The topic of “food noise” has become quite popular lately, mainly with the increased popularity of weight loss drugs like GLP-1’s and their ability to somewhat quiet these voices. Yet, one question I get asked quite often is what happens when you stop taking these medications? And, another question is, can you quiet the noise without them? The answer is yes, but it takes awareness, some strategizing and practice. First though, let’s answer a few questions about food noise and it’s links to hunger cues, satiety, and most importantly, diet culture.

What exactly is “food noise?”

Food noise is defined by the idea that thoughts about food are persistent and can lead to unpleasant feelings. In June of 2024, a panel assembled at the annual meeting for the American Society of Nutrition agreed on a formal definition:

Food Noise: “Persistent thoughts about food that are perceived by the individual as being unwanted and/or dysphoric and may cause harm to the individual, including social, mental , or physical problems.”

For example, if one constantly thinks about food, even when they are not hungry, or if one is constantly concerned about “rules” around eating, like adhering to strict protein requirements throughout the day, this can be considered food noise. An exact definition is hard to nail down since these feelings are mostly anecdotal and come from the patient experience.

Some of you may be thinking…”oh boy…this is me!” But, hold on a minute. We have to be very clear about what food noise is and isn’t. Food noise is not the same as having normal hunger “pangs”, which is the body’s natural way of telling you that it needs energy (in the form of calories). It also isn’t when you are anticipating a really good meal or a celebratory birthday dinner. These are both natural feelings and they should be honored. Food noise is more like an obsession that may result in behaviors that become disruptive to normal life. A constant distraction.

What causes food noise?

There a few reasons why one may experience a struggle with food noise. A genetic predisposition is not out of the question, especially if obesity or chronic conditions that disrupt hormone regulation are at play. But, the most popular reasons are the following:

• Dieting or restricting food. Skipping meals or sticking to a strict set of “rules” that results in eating less calories will inevitably lead to deprivation. Your body (and your brain) is smart! The result will be increased hunger and cravings since your body is saying “feed me”.
• Ultra processed foods or foods with little nutritional value. I’m not one to demonize food and I won’t start here. One of my favorite foods is a popular cracker that rhymes with “sneez-it”. But, if ultra-processed snack foods and foods that are low in quality protein, whole grains, and fiber make up the bulk of your diet, you may be contributing to food noise. How? These foods don’t last long in the gut, so they don’t really result in feelings of satiety and fullness that foods more nutritionally dense and fiber-rich will.
• Emotional Eating. Some people turn to food as a distraction. Past trauma, a stressful home life or work life, or situations where food was scarce may lead to constant thoughts about food as a way to cope or to feel safe. If you have experienced trauma, are dealing with overwhelming stress or have been feeling depressed, it’s important to speak to a licensed therapist and your doctor about it.
• Medical conditions that may result in an imbalance of hunger hormones. Conditions like PCOS, diabetes, and conditions associated with insulin resistance can disrupt appetite regulating hormones. Poor sleep and/or depression can lead to similar symptoms.

Why do some people struggle with food noise while others don’t?

There are a few reasons why this is the case, just as there are scenarios and situations that may exacerbate it. One common theme that can be found in individuals that struggle with food noise is the desire for weight loss and/or thinness and the use of restriction (or a diet aimed solely at weight loss) as the method.

What may exacerbate one’s experience with food noise is to ask where are one is receiving their messaging around food and food culture. Unfortunately, lately for most of us, it’s social media and the constant feeding of misinformation, altered bodies and false promises of supplements, powders, weight loss miracles and hormone tonics. The industry of “wellness” and diet culture has resulted in the creation of the voice telling us that we are not doing enough to protect our health and to maintain that thin aesthetic that society has deemed acceptable. A group that is really feeling the burden of this, besides teen and twenty-something’s who spend a lot of time of their phones, are women experiencing menopause. Look for my post on “menorexia” soon.

So, how do we start to quiet the noise?

Quieting the noise starts with taking a look at few things, like meal timing, the quality of your current diet, and your current beliefs around food. Here are a few ways to help turn down the volume:

• Eat regular meals that are nutrient dense. This means eating every 3 to 5 hours, and eating meals that contain not only enough protein, but also complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and fiber. All of these help to keep blood sugar stable, which results in less highs and lows. Eating more fiber also slows the release of sugar from your foods into the blood and this helps regulate the release of insulin. Insulin release influences the release of hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, actually decreasing it and therefore reduces appetite.
• Stop labeling foods as “good” or “bad”. Attaching a label to foods only turns up the volume on cravings, especially if you label something as “forbidden” or a reward only if you’re “good”. Telling ourselves that we can’t have something, only puts more attention on it. Finding pleasure in eating foods that bring you happiness will satisfy your cravings. And, eating these foods without guilt or a label allows you to move on with your life.
• Address the emotions that are behind the noise. As I mentioned above, many of us use food as a way to deal with emotions, whether it be to help calm down before a test or for something more traumatic like the loss of a loved one. Attaching food to comfort is quite common, and there are times when having an emotional connection to food is appropriate, like for cultural reasons. But, if food becomes your only way of coping, this is when speaking with an experienced therapist or dietitian can help you find alternative ways to cope with your emotions and offer support.

Can GLP-1’s help with food noise?

Many people taking GLP-1’s report a decrease in food noise while taking them, especially if they were struggling with this prior to taking the medication. The reasons why are still being studied but one hypothesis is that since digestion is slowed down while on the medications, this also slows the absorption of glucose. Meanwhile, insulin release is enhanced, and as mentioned above, this suppresses the release of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for hunger. Therefore, patients have a much lower appetite.

But…what happens when you stop taking the drug? The reality is that once you stop the medication, you have removed the goalie, so to speak. It may take time for your brain signaling to restore itself to where it was before, but over time, the body will begin to send those signals again. And, depending on how much weight was lost, it is possible that the severity of those cravings may be scaled to that. But, there is not enough research yet to know this.

What can help is to speaking with a dietitian about this before, during and after your journey with GLP-1’s. Developing strategies and engaging in education and behavior change throughout the process may not only help prevent some of the weight re-gain associated with stopping or decreasing the medications, but also help you with strategies that work through the food noise and help you gain more body confidence.

Final thoughts…

Do GLP-1’s decrease or silence food noise? Studies have shown that yes, they can be very helpful in this area. But, if you are dealing with food noise before you start taking the medication, they will only serve as temporary solution.

Listening to your body and learning how to distinguish hunger cues is a step in the right direction. Intuitive eating is about being about to sense these cues, eating to satisfy physical hunger rather than for emotional reasons, and giving oneself the unconditional permission to eat when hungry. Restricting and following harsh rules around eating and nutrition may only end up making the “food voices” louder and harder to ignore.

Are you dealing with food noise? Interested in learning more about how you can work to quiet the noise and manage your cravings? Contact me for a free discovery call.