- A recent study found that using GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, can help reduce food cravings.
- The researchers found that GLP-1 medications can reduce “food noise” better than behavioral therapy alone.
- Food noise refers to persistent and intrusive thoughts about food that make healthy eating habits difficult.
The concept of “food noise” has garnered attention since the introduction of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro for weight management.
Food noise is defined as intrusive and persistent thoughts about food that can interfere with daily life and make healthy behaviors more difficult.
Most of the evidence suggesting that GLP-1 medications helped quiet food noise was anecdotal — until recently.
A new study examined short-term changes in food noise in a digital behavioral weight management program both with and without GLP-1 drugs.
The findings have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 12–15.
“Food noise is powerful, so when the noise is less, and the environment is more ‘quiet,’ the individual is less likely to consume foods that may contribute to weight gain,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, president of KAK Consulting and dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Kirkpatrick wasn’t involved in the study.
“Typically, food noise is the loudest for foods that are often additive in nature, such as ultra-processed foods,” she told Healthline. “Think candy, cookies, bread-based snacks and meals, snack foods, pizzas, etc. Food noise is not the same as hunger. It’s instead tied to powerful, often intrusive cravings.”
This observational study included 417 adults who were participating in a digital behavioral weight management program.
The researchers evaluated a one-month change in food noise using the
The FNQ asks five questions and scores each answer on a scale of 0 to 4, for a maximum total score of 20. Users rate the questions on a scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree.
Each participant completed a questionnaire as a baseline, then another at a one-month follow-up.
The participants were categorized into two groups: those who began a GLP-1 medication at baseline and those who used only the behavioral weight management program.
The results showed that those who used a GLP-1 drug alongside the weight management program saw a more significant decrease in food noise at the follow-up than those who did not.
“The freedom from food noise is a common benefit I hear from my patients on GLP-1s,” Kirkpatrick said.
“In fact, it’s often mentioned to be as impactful as weight loss and blood sugar benefits. I am not surprised by this data as GLP-1 use and reduction of food noise seem to go hand in hand.”
Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished, said that quieting food noise can lead to healthier habits that extend beyond meals and snacks. Routhenstein wasn’t involved in the study.
“Many of my clients also notice a reduced desire for alcohol and smoking, likely because GLP-1s act on the brain’s reward pathways, not just on appetite,” she told Healthline.
There are other ways to help reduce food noise besides GLP-1 medications.
“One of the most important things I encourage my clients to focus on is creating a consistent meal timing pattern with nourishment so the body feels adequately fueled throughout the day,” said Routhenstein.
“When the body is deprived of food, food noise can become louder because the body is biologically driven to seek out food and protect against perceived starvation,” she added.
Kirkpatrick said that using distraction methods can also help. She gave the following examples:
- going for a walk
- leaving an area that has food present
- performing another task, such as folding laundry, talking with a friend, or building Legos
Routhenstein said that minimizing ultraprocessed and refined foods, which can drive cravings and reward-seeking behavior, may also help.
“Reducing food noise is often about helping the person become adequately nourished rather than relying solely on willpower,” said Routhenstein.
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