Frequent thoughts about food, commonly referred to as “food noise,” are a familiar struggle for many individuals attempting to manage their weight. Sophia Pena, a 32-year-old woman, has often battled with constant thoughts about food and its effect on her wellbeing.
She reflected, “In my head, I thought it meant I was just weak; I was gluttonous. I’d wonder what’s wrong with me. Why am I always this concerned about my next meal? I might not even need food immediately, but it’s always there…it’s like background noise.” Anxiety associated with food heightened during stressful periods and any attempts at weight loss.
The term “food noise” is not clinically defined, but specialists explain it as a constant or concentrated response to visual or imagined food triggers called food cue reactivity. These cues lead to intrusive thoughts about food and disordered eating behaviours. “Food noise is part of the pathophysiology driving obesity in many people, perhaps similar to how we understand some of the neurobiochemical adversity in mental health disorders,” says Karl Nadolsky, a clinical endocrinologist and obesity specialist.
Sophia felt relief when she observed that food noise is common in those battling with weight management. The knowledge that she wasn’t alone, that this was a recognized issue, reduced her feelings of guilt.
A survey concluded that approximately 57% of people with obesity experience continuous and disruptive thoughts about food, and only 12% are familiar with the term “food noise.” Obesity is a complex disease, and different people experience different symptoms at different times.
According to Katherine H. Saunders, MD, an obesity physician, increases in hunger and food thoughts can transpire due to hormonal pathways that disrupt obesity itself and metabolic adaptation that happens when an obese person reduces weight.
Sophia, like many others, tried numerous ways to reduce her weight, from the Keto diet to regular exercise to medication. Despite her initial struggle, advances in obesity treatment, like anti-obesity medications, have shown effectiveness in reducing food noise.
Anti-obesity medications, for example, work on receptors for the hormone GLP-1 present in parts of the brain connected to motivation and rewards. These medications help to make individuals feel full and slow down the digestion process. This two-fold effect can feasibly explain why the medications help to suppress food noise.
“Nurturing food noise is a part of treating obesity effectively,” says Saunders. Nadolsky agrees, stating that healthcare workers should empathize with patients suffering from food noise while providing care.
In addition to medication, nutritional adjustments can help with minimizing food noise. Consuming less processed food and focusing on higher quality, “volumetric,” and whole foods has been suggested.
Sophia found that listening to music or podcasts helped her drown out food noise. She stated, “I don’t physically feel hungry, I’m more mentally thinking of food, so I needed to quiet the thoughts.”
However, Saunders cautioned that managing food noise won’t end the obesity epidemic. She argues, “Medically treating the underlying cause of the food noise with dietary strategies, behavioral techniques, obesity medications, and/or metabolic surgery is the way to address the epidemic.”
Regardless of the obstacles ahead, Sophia maintains a positive attitude. She encourages others to find their own ways to ease food noise and remember that it is a part of a comprehensive plan for managing weight and overall health.
