Food noise: Why it's loud, and why it's not your fault

But if these are routines you don't want yet can't seem to shake, it isn't down to a lack of willpower. They're likely the result of food noise.

The term food noise comes up a lot in conversations around food and nutrition, but for a long time, there was no scientific definition for it. That changed last year with research published in Nutrition & Diabetes.

Let's take a look at what the researchers set out in their paper, why it's a matter of biology rather than willpower, and what we might be able to do about it.

What is food noise?

The definition of food noise that the authors of the 2025 paper settled on is:

"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."

These thoughts could take the form of cravings, as well as thoughts about whether someone is eating the "right" way or has the "right" foods available.

Although it's uncertain where the term first appeared, it mostly comes up when describing patients' experiences. It's most noticeable in the accounts of people who've used GLP-1 medication for weight loss, many of whom report a sudden absence of food noise after starting the drugs.

"For some people, GLP-1 medications appear to reduce food noise - the persistent thoughts and urges around food - and that can fundamentally change their relationship with eating", explains Dr Lucas Denton, a Thriva doctor.

One person who'd used GLP-1s described the effect like this:

"All of a sudden it was like some part of my brain that was always there just went quiet. It felt almost surreal to put an injector against my leg and have happen in 48 hours what decades of intervention could not accomplish. If I had lost almost no weight, just to have my brain working the way it's working, I would stay on this medication forever."

Why it's biology, not willpower

The impact of GLP-1s shows there's something going on in our bodies that creates food noise, rather than a lack of willpower. So what mechanisms might be at play?

Sleep

"Not sleeping changes your hunger signalling," explains Dr Denton. "Sleep deprivation affects the hormones involved in hunger and satiety, including ghrelin and leptin. When you're sleep-deprived, your body can genuinely become biologically driven to seek out more food, particularly energy-dense foods."

Short sleep is linked to lower levels of leptin, the "satiety hormone", and higher levels of ghrelin, the "hunger hormone." In one study, people who habitually slept five hours a night had around 15% lower leptin and 15% higher ghrelin than those who slept eight. These shifts are likely to result in increased hunger and appetite.

Stress

The evidence suggests that chronic stress can alter your brain's reward system around food, especially highly palatable, calorie-dense foods.

One proposed mechanism is cortisol, the body's main stress hormone. Over time, persistently raised cortisol appears to act on the brain's reward circuitry, making these foods feel more rewarding and reinforcing the pull towards them when you're stressed.

Ultra-processed foods

The foods around us can also influence our appetites and hunger levels. A 2019 inpatient trial found there's something about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) that leads people to eat more.

When people were given an ultra-processed diet, they ate around 500 more calories a day, mostly from carbs and fat, even though the meals were matched with an unprocessed diet for calories, sugar, fat, and fibre.

It can be difficult to escape UPFs, though. They're deeply ingrained in our culture and often easier to access than more nutritious options.

"A lot of it is probably the country we live in," says Dr Denton. "Our food environment plays a major role. Highly palatable, calorie-dense foods are widely available, heavily marketed, and often more convenient than healthier alternatives. When these foods are constantly accessible, it's not surprising that they can amplify food-related thoughts and cravings."

Hormones

Current research indicates that a major part of having persistent thoughts about food is what's going on inside your body, with hormone levels fluctuating and triggering a number of different chemical processes.

The fact that some medications can switch off these food-related signals in the brain goes to show it's more than a matter of willpower: It's biology.

All of which is to say, if you're finding it difficult to tune out the food noise, it isn't your fault. Sometimes our brains and bodies do things that make it a lot harder to reach our goals.

For some people, food noise can be part of disordered eating. If you feel as though you might have an eating disorder, or you're curious about what that could mean, you can find support through the Beat website and their helplines.

What can I do to manage food noise?

Food noise can feel intimidating, but there are some strategies that might help to dampen it.

Mindful eating is a way of eating where you aim to be fully present and aware of what you're doing while engaging with food. It's not just being attentive during a meal or snack; it's also when you're shopping, cooking, and even just thinking about food.

What does this look like in practice? Here are some ways you can try mindful eating:

• Eat slowly, taking small bites and chewing well.
• Pay attention to each of your senses when eating, reflecting on how your food looks, feels, smells, sounds, and tastes.
• Remove distractions when you're eating, like putting your phone away or turning off the TV, so you can focus solely on your meal.
• Remove distractions when you're cooking, too, and reflect on the processes you use as you prepare your meal.
• Plan exactly what you're going to buy before going shopping, and avoid shopping when you're hungry.
• Think about each ingredient, for example, where it has come from, who might have produced it, and how it came to be in your hands.

Research into mindful eating is currently mixed. Some studies have found it has little impact on diet quality and energy intake.

However, a 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis reported that mindfulness training was associated with reduced impulsive eating and binge eating. And a 2016 paper found that people with less awareness of their eating habits appeared to have less control over them.

The jury's still out on how effective mindful eating is, but some people find it useful and it's low-risk to try. If it doesn't work for you and you find food noise is having a harmful effect, speak with a doctor or dietitian for support.

Even small changes to your diet can have a positive impact on your health. Some dietary changes can influence biomarkers of heart health, such as apolipoprotein B and LDL cholesterol, plus those connected to inflammation, such as hs-CRP.

If you want to understand what's happening inside your body, a blood test can tell you more.

Learn more about at-home testing.

Takeaway

It can be easy to feel down if you're finding it difficult to stick to your dietary goals because of food noise. But remember that this noise is a real thing, driven by chemical reactions in your body, over which you have little control. It isn't your fault.

Tuning out the food noise is easier said than done, but there are some simple steps that could improve our chances. Try to be kind to yourself and avoid piling on extra pressure. Stress can add to the noise, so look after yourself and take what small steps you can.

Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional first if you have concerns about your health.