How Food Noise Differs From Hunger
The biggest difference between food noise and hunger is that hunger pangs naturally quiet once you eat, Wadden says. Regular meals and snacks can prevent people from experiencing hunger.
“Hunger is usually defined by the temporary physical discomfort of needing to eat to maintain the body’s energy stores to sustain basic bodily functions,” Wadden says. “Hunger is signaled by feelings like a rumbling stomach, lightheadedness, and occasional irritability, which prompt the desire to consume food to alleviate these symptoms.”
Food noise has little to do with a biological need to keep your body running smoothly, and as a result, it’s not silenced just because you eat, Wadden says. Unlike hunger, food noise can sometimes get louder when you eat something you think is good for you, like broccoli, instead of satisfying a craving for something you desire, like cake.
“Hunger prompts homeostatic eating — eating to maintain basic biological needs,” Wadden says. “Hunger is satisfied by consuming food.”
When it comes to blocking food noise, it’s important to recognize that the goal of doing this isn’t to stop eating, Jay says. In fact, people still need to stay motivated to eat food, particularly when they’re taking GLP-1 drugs that do more than any other intervention to silence food noise.
“People on these medications need to make sure they are getting high-quality food even if they are not hungry,” Jay says. “This includes enough protein, fruits, and vegetables.”
It’s also important to recognize that food noise isn’t harmful on its own if it only happens sometimes and it’s possible to ignore it when necessary, Levy says. The trouble with food noise is that people with obesity are unable to silence it and they eat more as a result.
“Food noise is engendered by sights, smells, tastes, and even discussions of food,” Wadden says. “Some people are more responsive than others to these food cues.”
Even when people become less receptive to these cues, they can — and should — still enjoy their meals. “I don’t think food noise has to ruin the pleasure of eating,” Levy says. “It is more like food does not have power over you.”
But some people may not be able to silence food noise on their own, especially if it has its roots in underlying mental health issues like anxiety or depression or an eating disorder, says Stephanie Albers, PhD, an eating disorder clinical assessment program manager for Project Heal and medical reviewer for Everyday Health.
That’s why anyone who is experiencing food noise should work with a registered dietitian and therapist who recognizes the importance of promoting health for people of all sizes and minimizing stigma for people who are in larger bodies, Dr. Albers says.
“It is important to address your relationship with food, your body, and any underlying psychological issues to truly make food preoccupation disappear,” Albers says.
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