""Food noise" refers to persistent and intrusive thoughts about food, including thoughts of your next meal, intense cravings, and anxiety about not having access to food. Food noise occurs even in the absence of hunger. Some people experience food noise nearly constantly. Food noise is not only distracting, but it also makes it very difficult to stick to a healthy diet."
"Food noise is driven by appetite hormones1 and dopamine, 2 a neurotransmitter that manages the brain's reward system. People naturally vary in appetite hormone levels and in the impact of food on dopamine. This is why some people have insatiable appetites, whereas others barely notice the urge to eat. 3 People with hefty appetites sometimes get shamed by people with smaller appetites, but the truth is that appetite is heavily driven by biology."
"Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) turn the volume up on food noise because they are packed with sugar, salt, and fat, which overstimulate dopamine pathways.4 UPFs also spike blood sugar, which leads to an energy crash and a spike in hunger later. This wreaks havoc on appetite hormones. Reducing intake of UPFs will reduce food noise. Learn more about which foods are UPFs here."
Persistent intrusive thoughts about food, called food noise, include planning the next meal, intense cravings, and anxiety about access to food and can occur without physiological hunger. Appetite hormones and dopamine drive food noise and vary between individuals, producing different appetite intensities and reward responses. Ultra-processed foods, stress-induced cortisol, poor sleep, and skipping meals amplify food noise through blood-sugar swings, hormonal disruption, and heightened dopamine signaling. Dietary and behavioral strategies that reduce food noise include cutting ultra-processed foods, eating regular meals with protein and fiber, maintaining sleep and stress management, and exercising to stabilize appetite signals.
Read at Psychology Today
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