What is Food Noise?
Food noise refers to obsessive internal chatter about food that can drive overeating and hinder healthy choices. This phenomenon is gaining attention as users of weight-loss medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro) report significant relief.
How Medications Help
GLP-1 drugs mimic the feeling of fullness by slowing digestion and reducing appetite. Users like Savannah Mendoza and Summer Kessel describe newfound peace from constant food cravings, allowing them to focus on balanced eating rather than compulsive thoughts about food.
The Science and Theories
Experts like Dr. Michael Lowe link food noise to hedonic hunger—eating for pleasure rather than physical need. Over time, environmental factors, like easy access to fast food, amplify these cravings. Medications address the brain’s appetite signals, providing both weight loss and reduced food noise.
Beyond Medications
Cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatments, such as antidepressants or Vyvanse, are also effective. Specialists emphasize that while GLP-1s reduce food noise, they may introduce new challenges, like fear of eating certain foods due to physical discomfort.
A Shift in Perspective
For many, these medications mark a turning point. As patient Jackson LeMay puts it, “Before the medication, I was truly living to eat. Now, I’m eating because I need to live.”
This evolving understanding of food noise highlights the complex interplay between biology, psychology, and environment in managing appetite and health.
