What Is Food Noise? Experts Explain

Much like our height, eye color, and affinity for risk-taking, research shows that genetics strongly influence weight and body size. More than 400 genes are associated with someone’s likelihood to be overweight or obese—and this effect varies widely. Genetics may guide our weight and body type by as much as 50% to 70%, depending on the person, according to 2023 research published in Nutrients. 

This genetic impact can have many knock-on effects, such as your appetite and satiety (how full you feel after eating), per the Nutrients research. Differences in these cues often come down to hormone imbalances and miscommunication between the brain and the gut—and in some people, it can lead to overwhelming mental chatter about food, a situation some clinicians call “food noise.”

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What is food noise?

Food noise is not an official medical term or condition. Still, this ongoing rumination is gaining more attention in the medical community, especially as it relates to weight management, obesity, and mental health.

“The way I think about food noise is based on what my patients tell me; it’s this sort of chatter that’s going on in their mind, which a lot of times is nonstop,” explains Richard Siegel, MD, an endocrinologist and co-director of the Diabetes and Lipid Center at Tufts Medical Center. “There’s something that’s not really satisfied in their brain until they get something to eat.”

What causes food noise?

Dr. Siegel says that physiologically, food noise likely has something to do with our body’s various hunger hormones—particularly because when people take certain hormonal medications, they report that this ongoing food noise simply switches off. Sometimes, patients didn’t even realize the food noise was there until it’s gone, he says.

“Our bodies use a complex network of hunger hormones to control hunger and fullness,” explains Jaime Almandoz, MD, medical director of the Weight Wellness Program and associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. These include:

• Ghrelin: Known as the “hunger hormone,” it’s released by the stomach when empty, which signals the brain to initiate eating.
• Leptin: A hormone that regulates fullness, telling the brain that the body has enough stored energy and can stop eating.
• Gut hormones: These include GLP-1, amylin, and PYY, which slow digestion and enhance feelings of fullness.
• Insulin: A hormone that controls blood sugar levels, contributing to appetite regulation. 

Ideally, these hormones work together in balance, Dr. Almandoz explains. But a range of factors—such as lifestyle behaviors, diet, and background—can throw them out of whack. For instance, 2023 research published in Heliyon has shown that factors like insufficient sleep and chronic stress impact our hunger hormones. 

Food noise could be a product of someone’s past experiences as well, such as if food was not readily available growing up, Dr. Siegel says. Our background experiences can play a strong role in shaping our physiology, per 2023 research published in Psychoneuroendocrinology. The study found that adults who experienced early life stress often have imbalanced appetite-regulating hormones, which can lead to stronger feelings or thoughts of hunger. 

In addition, “overeating, just like any other eating disorder, oftentimes is derived from early childhood events or not learning appropriate ways to cope with negative emotions,” says Michelle DiBlasi, DO, chief of inpatient psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center.

How to quiet food noise

Food noise is usually partly behavioral and partly neurochemical, Dr. Siegel explains, so the most effective treatment is often multi-disciplinary. If someone is struggling with overeating and cannot stop thinking about food, a behavioral health specialist can help them understand hunger cues and create healthy habits.

Or if overeating is a dysfunctional coping strategy, working with a mental health professional to evaluate what might be driving it or what emotions need to be processed in therapy is important, too, Dr. DiBlasi adds.

But Dr. Siegel says that a behavioral health approach can only go so far for some people. “This is where it seems that these newer medicines available can get rid of some of that background desire for food.”

It’s also important to recognize that we all experience some degree of food noise, like before a meal or if we’re not eating enough in our diet. “We often talk about mind hunger and stomach hunger,” Dr. Siegel says—and there’s a distinction between experiencing food noise and being hungry.

Natural ways to reduce food noise at home

If you have frequent or intrusive thoughts about food—or a persistent feeling of not being satisfied after eating—this food noise could be a result of physiological disruption, existing behaviors towards food, or some combination. 

While there’s no quick fix, our experts say that there are strategies to help keep your appetite hormones balanced and encourage a healthier relationship with food to quiet persistent food noise.

Prioritize sleep

Poor sleep disrupts the communication between the brain and appetite-regulating hormones, which can lead to increased hunger and cravings, Dr. Almandoz says. 

Specifically, 2023 research published in Obesity shows that just one night of poor sleep:

• Reduces your leptin levels, the hormone that helps make you feel full and stop eating.
• Increases your ghrelin levels, which makes you hungrier.

Detox from social media

Research about food noise published in 2024 in Nutrients explains that our brains are very sensitive to what are called “food cues.” Our desire to eat something we see is an evolutionary response, and it can occur whether we are physically hungry or not. 

Yet the research says that constant exposure to food cues through social media has been shown to trigger the intense, intrusive thoughts about food associated with food noise—and the more often we “give in” to these cues, the more likely this reaction becomes an engrained response. 

Manage stress

Chronic stress affects our brain-hormone communication in a similar way to poor sleep, explains Dr. Almandoz. “Managing stress and optimizing sleep quality is critical for maintaining overall health and a healthy weight,” he emphasizes. 

What’s more, the Nutrients food noise research says that stress (and poor sleep) can make us even more susceptible to food cues. So when you’re stressed, not only are your hormones telling you you’re hungrier, but your brain is more vulnerable to thinking about food.

Avoid processed foods

“Highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates can cause rapid blood-sugar fluctuations, which can increase hunger and cravings,” Dr. Almandoz says. “In contrast, meals rich in whole foods, fiber, protein, and healthy fats can help stabilize energy levels and regulate hunger hormones.” 

Eat at regular intervals 

Skipping meals or severe calorie restriction can increase the hunger hormone ghrelin, making overeating and/or persistently thinking about food more likely, Dr. Almandoz explains. 

Food noise also often increases because of restrictive eating patterns or chronic underfeeding, adds Erin Holley, RD, a registered dietician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “It’s one way that the body tries to tell us that it needs more consistent energy with food—by thinking about it more.” 

She says that our bodies need to eat a minimum of three times daily, or no longer than every four to six hours. “I would recommend scheduling meals and sticking to the schedule as much as possible. This can help your body to know over time that it will be fed regularly and slowly reduce the food noise.”

Keep in mind that thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger, says Dr. Almandoz—so staying hydrated can also help. 

Practice mindful eating

If you’re used to eating on autopilot—such as rushing through breakfast before work or zoning out to a TV series over dinner—mindful eating may help quiet food noise.

Mindful eating means being more present as you eat, focusing on the experience and your senses. Mindful eating practices such as eating more slowly and minimizing distractions can help train the brain to better recognize signals of fullness, Dr. Almandoz says. 

Challenge the food police in your head

A history of chronic dieting, especially if you’re on and off diets consistently, can impact your susceptibility to food noise, Holley says. 

“Also, having lots of rules about what you can or cannot eat—or having that ‘good’ food/’bad’ food mentality can increase the food noise in your head,” she says. This attitude towards certain foods can create a hierarchy in your head, causing you to think about or fixate on food more. 

Identify your triggers

Social media isn’t the only place where we encounter food noise-inducing cues. “Be aware of sources that increase the food noise and try to minimize your exposure,” Holley says. This could be TV commercials, magazines, online ads, social media accounts you follow, or even office talk about the latest diet trends. 

“These things only increase the food thoughts and noise in your head,” she says. “Cutting back and minimizing your exposure can help bring peace and silence.” 

What medications help quiet food noise?

Many factors influence appetite, but only some of these factors can be controlled through lifestyle or behavioral choices, Dr. Almandoz says. “Hunger and appetite involve complex interactions between biology and behavior, and having professional support can make a big difference,” he says.

Semaglutide medications—such as Ozempic and Wegovy—have gained a lot of attention for their ability to quiet food noise (and we’ll get into these in more detail below.) 

But Dr. Almandoz says that there are other options that may be used to treat food noise when lifestyle changes aren’t enough:

• Tirzepatide: A weekly injectable treatment that helps reduce appetite, slow stomach emptying, and increase feelings of fullness. (Brand names include Mounjaro and Zepbound.) 

• Phentermine: A stimulant oral prescription medication that suppresses appetite, but is only approved for short-term use.

• Contrave: A medication that includes the drugs bupropion and naltrexone, which help reduce cravings by influencing dopamine pathways in the brain.

• Qsymia: A medication that combines an appetite-suppressant drug with a medication that enhances the sensation of fullness.

“For those looking for non-prescription options, fiber supplements, such as psyllium husk, can slow digestion and promote satiety,” Dr. Almandoz says. “Protein drinks or supplements, particularly those containing casein or whey protein, may also help curb hunger between meals.”

But if food noise is related to behavioral health—such as overeating as a maladaptive coping mechanism—mental health therapies may be more suitable. A 2024 review of research published in European Neuropsychopharmacology found that some anti-depressant medications may be effective in reducing symptoms of disordered eating, such as binge eating disorder. 

Does Ozempic reduce food noise?

“The first time I’ve heard people tell me that [their treatment has] gotten rid of the food chatter has been with the new, hormonal, injectable medications,” Dr. Siegel says. The two main medications approved for weight loss are Ozempic and Wegovy, the brand names for a drug called semaglutide. (They’re both approved for diabetes at lower doses, too.)

The medication works by mimicking our body’s satiety hormone while slowing down digestion processes. This sends signals to the part of our brain that controls our appetite, reducing feelings of hunger and cravings—and, for many people, silencing the associated food noise.

However, this mental food chatter can return once someone stops taking Ozempic—which is why the most effective treatment may be a program that includes behavioral therapy. In addition, medications like Ozempic can cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea or constipation. “Generally, the body adapts to it, and it tends to improve over the course of a few weeks,” Dr. Siegel says. “But some people can’t tolerate the medicine because it makes them consistently nauseous.”

When to see a doctor

“I would recommend that someone seek help if they feel like the food noise or thoughts about food are all-consuming,” Holley says. This could mean that you can’t escape thoughts about food, you plan your day around food, or you struggle with emotional eating or an eating disorder. Or, “if someone experiences persistent, intense hunger despite eating balanced meals—especially if accompanied by unexplained weight changes, fatigue, or dizziness between meals,” adds Dr. Almandoz. 

Because food noise is thought to be multi-dimensional—with both physiological and behavioral causes—Holley recommends considering help from your medical doctor, psychologist, or counselor, and a registered dietician who are trained in disordered eating care. 

Also, Dr. Almandoz says that certain medical conditions may be linked to food noise due to insulin resistance. For instance, “polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can disrupt appetite and metabolism, making weight management more challenging.” 

That’s why if you’re dealing with constant food noise, it’s a good idea to see a doctor sooner than later. “Specialists can identify underlying health factors and address disordered thoughts or behaviors that may be contributing to food noise,” Holley says. 

For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

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• Always Hungry? 8 Reasons You Can’t. Stop. Eating.
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