Australian obesity guidelines recognise obesity as a complex, chronic condition that requires long-term, individualised management. Effective care prioritises sustainable behaviour change, nutrition quality, physical activity, sleep and stress management, alongside appropriate clinical support. As understanding of obesity evolves, there has been increasing discussion about food noise—the persistent mental preoccupation with food—and how it affects weight regulation and health. While newer weight-loss medications may have a role for some people, they are not a standalone solution and must be considered within a broader, holistic model of care.
What is “food noise”?
- Persistent, intrusive thoughts about food, eating, or body weight
- Not driven by physical hunger
Often described as:
- Constant planning or thinking about the next meal
- Difficulty stopping eating despite adequate intake
- Mental fatigue around food decisions
This is not a lack of willpower
Why does food noise happen?
Food noise isn’t a personal failing, and it isn’t about a lack of control. It is your body’s way of responding to past experiences, current stressors, and the environment you live in.
Our bodies are designed to protect us. When weight has been lost, diets have been repeated, or food has been restricted for long periods, the body often responds by increasing thoughts about food and appetite signals. This is part of normal weight regulation — the body is simply trying to keep you safe and well.
Food noise can also become louder during times of stress, poor sleep, emotional load, or hormonal change. These experiences affect the same systems that regulate hunger, fullness, and energy. When life feels demanding, food can naturally take up more mental space, even if physical hunger hasn’t changed.
It’s important to know that food noise is a common and understandable response to what your body has been through. It is not a reflection of willpower or worth. With gentle, supportive care and consistent nourishment, food noise can ease over time as the body begins to feel more settled and regulated.
Risks of unmanaged food noise
When food noise is left unaddressed, it can quietly shape how someone relates to food, their body, and their health over time. Many people find themselves caught in repeated cycles of dieting and weight regain, not because they are doing something wrong, but because the underlying drivers of food noise haven’t been supported.
Ongoing food noise can increase the risk of developing disordered eating patterns, emotional eating, and feelings of guilt or shame around food choices. These experiences can be exhausting and may lead to burnout or a sense of disengagement from healthcare altogether, especially after years of feeling that “nothing works.”
Over time, unmanaged food noise can affect mental wellbeing, confidence in one’s own body signals, and the ability to maintain stable weight in a sustainable way. Addressing food noise early and compassionately helps protect both physical and emotional health in the long term.
Reducing food noise safely
Reducing food noise starts with supporting the body, not fighting it. The most effective approaches focus on restoring a sense of safety, consistency, and nourishment, rather than adding more rules or restriction.
Nutrition plays a key role. Eating regular, adequate meals helps steady appetite signals and reduce constant thoughts about food. Balanced meals that include enough protein, fibre, and other essential nutrients support satiety and energy levels, while avoiding unnecessary restriction helps calm the body’s drive to seek food.
Lifestyle and behavioural support are equally important. Normalising eating patterns, improving sleep, and reducing ongoing stress all influence the hormones involved in weight regulation. Building gentle routines — instead of strict rules — helps create predictability without pressure, making change feel more sustainable.
Psychological support can also be powerful. This may involve gently reshaping the way you think about food, noticing triggers for eating when hunger isn’t the main driver, and slowly rebuilding trust in your own hunger and fullness cues. Over time, these approaches help food take up less mental space, allowing eating to feel calmer and more intuitive again.
When and where to seek support
It can be helpful to reach out if food noise feels constant or overwhelming, is causing distress or a sense of losing control around food, or is linked to a long history of weight cycling or disordered eating patterns. Seeking support is not a sign of failure — it’s often a sign that your body and mind need extra guidance.
At our clinic, support begins with a diabetes and obesity nurse practitioner, who can help with metabolic health, blood glucose management, and strategies to reduce food noise safely. We may recommend a psychologist or dietitian where appropriate for further clinical support — helping address clinical nutritional needs and the emotional or mental aspects of eating behaviours. Your GP remains involved to coordinate care and support your general health needs.
Our approach is respectful, non-judgemental, and focused on long-term health rather than quick fixes. You don’t have to manage food noise alone — with the right guidance, it is possible to restore trust in your hunger and fullness cues, reduce distress, and support sustainable health.
Long-term improvement comes from addressing the drivers—not chasing quick fixes. Sustainable care focuses on skills, support, and systems that work with the body, not against it.
Further reading and resources
Here is an online article and podcast available to help you learn more about food noise, appetite, and food/mood connection.
Always thinking about food? Why so many women struggle with ‘food noise’
The truth about food noise by Sarah Marinos Butterfly Foundation. Article link
What does having a ‘good relationship with food’ mean? 4 ways to know if you’ve got one. Authors Clare Collins and Tracey Burrows. University of Newcastle. Article link
Nutrition Science Bites (Summer Series) with Prof Clare Collins and Ilyse Jones – Is “Food Noise’ wrecking your New Year resolutions? No Money No Time, University of Newcastle. Podcast link.
Food and mood diary. University of Newcastle. pdf link
