Draft:Food Noise

Food noise is the constant, intrusive thoughts about food that are disruptive to daily life and make healthful behaviors extremely difficult. It is sometimes described as though your life is revolving around food.

Background
Everyone experiences some food noise (after a period of fasting, for example) but certain people experience it more intensely. There are multiple factors that can result in higher amounts of food noise — biological, psychological, and environmental — according to Spencer Nadolsky, D.O., medical director for International WeightWatchers.

Food noise can be linked to hedonic hunger, which is an extreme focus on eating for pleasure that's higher in some people due to genetics, learned habits, and other factors.

Impact of food noise on weight
People who are constantly thinking about eating can be driven to consume more food, making it harder to lose weight, according to Dr. Nadolsky. Food noise can cause overconsumption of foods, even if you aren't physically hungry. This can make it more difficult to manage weight. Research shows that 61% of people living with obesity say that food noise makes it difficult to stick to a diet or exercise plan. Additionally, 60% of people living with obesity say that food noise interferes with their ability to make healthy food choices.

This may explain the link between obesity and food noise. For example, a 2015 study in Obesity Reviews found that overweight and obese people have higher levels of brain activity when they see a food image than those who have a normal weight. And other research shows that 57% of people living with overweight or obesity say they have experienced food noise.

Treatment
While there’s no clinical definition or diagnostic criteria for food noise, clinicians suggest there are ways to lessen the noise. Strategies to do so include: not ignoring your hunger, eating more protein to feel fuller, longer, removing food cues when possible, and decreasing stress.

Impact of GLP-1s on food noise
The concept of food noise has become more widely-known ever since GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) have been used to treat obesity. GLP-1s are a newer class of weight-loss medications that work by mimicking a naturally-occurring hormone to regulate insulin, control blood sugar, curb appetite, and slow stomach emptying. A 2021 study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that people taking once-weekly semaglutide (a type of GLP-1 antagonist) lost an average of 15% body weight.

Patients taking GLP-1s often report that they hear much less food noise. Reduction in symptoms include not thinking about the next meal or snack, not struggling with feelings of fullness (even right after eating), and not thinking obsessively about food. As a result, they’re able to regain control over their days. Research shows that 76% of people taking GLP-1s say it’s easier to make healthy food choices and 72% say they’re better able to stick to a diet and exercise plan for weight loss.

Researchers theorize that the food noise reduction may be explained by the impact that medications, like semaglutide, have on the part of the brain that regulates appetite and reward-seeking behaviors. While more research is needed, recent studies in mice suggest that GLP-1s may have a similar impact on other addictive behaviors, including alcohol consumption.

Implications
The understanding that a medication can impact levels of food noise can change the way healthcare providers relate to patients by increasing empathy toward people living with obesity. After learning about food noise, acceptance of the notion that GLP-1s are a tool for managing a chronic condition instead of an easy way out increased 23%.