What Is Food Noise and How Do We Turn It Down?

Polly Tita recalls when her days were filled with constant thoughts of food. “The fast-food signs seemed to loom larger. I was always thinking about where I could drive through to find a sugar fix,” says the Chicago-based media relations strategist. “I used to think about what to have for dinner while still eating lunch.”

Tita’s experience is far from unique. The term for persistent and intrusive thoughts about food is “food noise.” You may be experiencing it yourself.

“It's not just a fleeting thought about your next meal, but rather a constant chatter in the mind about what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, and the associated feelings of guilt or anxiety,” says Kelsey Costa, RDN. “This constant internal dialogue about food can be draining and could potentially interrupt your everyday life and mental well-being.” 

Ilyse Schapiro, RDN, owner of Ilyse Schapiro Nutrition and co-author of Your Everyday Nutrition: 100 Answers to the Most Common Questions About Losing Weight, Feeling Great, and Getting Healthy, has heard this concern from some of her clients. “They may wake up thinking about chocolate cake, for example, and they can’t stop thinking about it all day until they can get their hands on a slice,” says Schapiro. This inner chatter can be a big obstacle to weight loss, leading to overeating and unhealthy food choices, she notes. 

“It can be challenging,” adds Elizabeth Simkus, DNP, a family nurse practitioner and medical director of the RUSH Prevention Center at RUSH University Medical Center in Chicago. “It’s like the floodgates open and all you can think about all day is eat, eat, eating.” 

“Food noise” is not an official diagnostic term, but it has garnered lots of buzz lately. Medications such as Ozempic have made headlines for reportedly quieting food noise fast. But while weight loss medications can be an important tool for some people, Schapiro notes that “as a long-term sustainable solution, you want to quiet food noise by working on changing your relationship with food and adopting lifestyle approaches.”

Here’s what you need to know about food noise so you can prevent it from derailing your weight-loss efforts. 

What Causes Food Noise? 

This constant rumination about food happens for a variety of physical and emotional reasons, say experts.

Thinking about food — what to eat, how much, when — is normal and healthy, says Costa. Let’s say you dashed out the door and skipped breakfast. By mid-morning, your stomach is positively growling, so you know to grab an apple with almond butter to refuel. In contrast, food noise becomes problematic when eating-related thoughts go on and on, regardless of whether your tank is filled. You obsess about something sweet minutes after you finish a huge meal, for instance. 

The causes of food noise are complex. You might constantly crave food because you have learned to associate it with emotional comfort. During a stressful day, all you can think about is the luscious pint of ice cream that awaits. 

“Patients will tell me they know they’re not actually hungry,” says Simkus. “Instead, their urge to eat can be a reaction to feelings. They might be bored; they might be stressed.”

Eating something delicious can activate our brain’s reward pathways, says Simkus. “We get a hit of dopamine — a pleasure hormone — when we eat something sweet or high in fat,” she explains. We want more of that good feeling… and we start obsessing over the breakroom donuts.

If you have restricted calories as part of a low-calorie diet, your brain may become preoccupied with food. ”In evolutionary terms, not getting enough calories threatens our basic survival,” says Kim Shapira, RD, a nutritional therapist and author of This Is What You’re Really Hungry For. “When we experience deprivation, our brains are naturally wired to prioritize thoughts about food and eating.”  

Our environment also plays a big role: Dripping plates of nachos beckon from billboards. Fast-food ads blast from the car radio. Our social media feeds are filled with artsy photos of gourmet meals. 

“Seeing a mouthwatering dessert on Instagram can trigger thoughts about food, even if you’re not physically hungry,” says Costa. Simkus puts it even more simply: “Food is instantly available, and it’s everywhere.” 

With so many constant reminders, no wonder so many of us are preoccupied.

Can Weight Loss Drugs Help Reduce Food Noise?

Surprisingly, patients on the new class of weight loss medications report that these drugs can turn the volume way down on their constant thoughts about food. Many contain a compound called semaglutide, which helps slow digestion so you feel fuller longer, says Simkus.

Semaglutide also acts on receptors in the brain associated with motivation and reward, so you are not as likely to constantly crave the fix of something yummy. While experts agree more research is needed on this, Shapira says one important thing to remember is that you would need to be on these drugs for life to maintain the effect.

As for Tita, she says her food noise receded after she had gastric sleeve surgery last spring. “I stopped obsessing. Now I can eat one cookie and be done. I don’t need to keep going until I have six. It’s remarkable,” she says. 

6 Ways to Quiet Food Noise

While research into food noise is ongoing, here are our experts’ tips for turning down the volume.

If these self-care strategies don’t quiet the chatter, consult with your doctor, a registered dietitian, or a health psychologist who can give you personalized support.

1. Stay Fueled

To ward off cravings, Simkus advises eating something healthy every three to five hours during the day. “That helps keep your blood sugar stable, and you can be more intentional about what you fuel your body with,” she says.

When planning your meals and snacks, don’t think in terms of what you can’t eat, Simkus suggests. Instead, crowd out unhealthy choices with whole foods rich in fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Nuts, avocados, unsweetened yogurt with fruit, apples with nut butter, or vegetables with hummus will keep you feeling sated so your thoughts don’t revolve around what’s in the vending machine. 

“I have had patients say, ‘I never thought I would be able to give up chips, but now that I am eating this way, I don’t even crave them anymore,’” says Simkus.

2. Learn to Recognize Real Hunger

Because we eat for various reasons, many of us don’t know how to tune into our bodies and recognize our true hunger cues, Schapiro says.

If you don’t know whether you’re hungry or simply bored, here’s what Schapiro suggests: “Have an apple or a piece of cheese, then check in with yourself 20 minutes later to see if the feeling has been sated.” And if you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re likely just obsessing rather than experiencing a real need for calories and nutrients, she says. 

3. Manage Stress

Many of us live in a chronic state of stress, which Simkus says “disrupts our hormone balance and increases cravings.” Practice good self-care by getting sufficient sleep, exercising, and practicing yoga or other relaxation techniques. 

If you find yourself mindlessly heading to the pantry during a crazy day, Simkus advises: “Pause and check in with yourself. Am I really hungry or am I wanting to eat because I’m stressed? If you’re stressed, is there something besides eating in your toolbox that could help you feel better?” Try a walk around the block, a hot shower, or a short call to a friend. 

4. Tune Out Distractions

Slow down while eating and pay attention to the food in front of you, advises Costa. This practice can help you reconnect with your body’s actual hunger and satiety feelings and reduce mindless eating driven by external cues (like that cheeseburger commercial!). Avoid distracted eating, such as while watching TV or using your phone, as this can lead to overeating. 

“If certain foods consistently trigger food noise and cravings, keep them out of sight or even out of your home to reduce temptation,” says Costa. 

5. Drink Water

Some of us think we’re hungry and need to eat, when in fact we are thirsty and dehydrated, says Schapiro. “I’m a big believer in getting in 64 ounces of water per day. Drink all day long to make sure that you are totally hydrated throughout the day,” she recommends.

If you tend to make “fishing trips” to the kitchen, get into the habit of drinking a big glass of water every time you enter, says Shapira. “Keep a pretty pitcher full, and keep a stock of your favorite glasses,” she suggests. You might even have mint leaves or lemon slices on hand to toss in. “Adding an element of play makes drinking a pleasurable activity so you will want to keep at it,” Shapira says.

6. Enjoy!

Food is one of life’s great pleasures, after all. “Allowing yourself occasional treats can prevent feelings of deprivation that may amplify food noise,” says Costa. “Birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions are great opportunities to enjoy indulgent foods in moderation.” 

Please pass (one slice of) the pumpkin pie! 

 

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

• Blum D. People on Drugs Like Ozempic Say Their ‘Food Noise’ Has Disappeared. The New York Times. June 21, 2023.
• Grippo RM, Tang Q, Zhang Q, et al. Dopamine Signaling in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Enables Weight Gain Associated With Hedonic Feeding. Current Biology. January 20, 2020.
• Friedrichsen M, Breitschaft A, Tadayon S, et al. The Effect of Semaglutide 2.4 mg Once Weekly on Energy Intake, Appetite, Control of Eating, and Gastric Emptying in Adults With Obesity. Diabetes, Obesity, & Metabolism. December 2, 2020.
• Kracht CL, Chaput JP, Martin CK, et al. Associations of Sleep with Food Cravings, Diet, and Obesity in Adolescence. Nutrients. December 2019.