to think “food noise” is becoming one of those phrases people hide behind rather than actually dealing with their eating habits?

[foodywoody]

I keep hearing people say they have “food noise” and that’s why they’re constantly thinking about food or snacking, but isn’t that just hunger, boredom, habit, or emotional eating dressed up in a nicer label? I’m not saying it’s not real for some people, especially where there are medical issues involved, but the way it’s thrown around now makes it sound like no one has any control over it at all.

It just feels like another way to remove any personal responsibility. Not everything needs a label. Sometimes it’s just about eating properly and getting enough protein and actually addressing emotional eating.

It's not new, but it didn't have a name known by the masses.

It's like Alice in Wonderland syndrome - I've always had it, I just never knew it had a name or words to accurately describe it.

Like aphantasia - loads of people have it, but until they find out it's 'a thing' they don't know it.

Maybe people thought everyone felt as they do but had more "will power". Which is fair to think because it's what people are always saying about fat people.

It is possible to reply and not engage in your question.

Don't you understand how forums work?

😂

This thread is the first time I've ever heard that phrase, so I can't really have any opinion on it!

You think you’ve answered my question? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Are you always this thick?

But those on WLI report it can come back very loud once the go off WLI.
if you’ve been without food noise for months you e not been listening all that time. It comes back.

Really? I hear it quite regularly and read about it magazines, on TV, radio etc

You will hear it everywhere now!

YANBU.

‘Food noise’ is just another excuse that people use to avoid accepting responsibility for the fact that they, and they alone, are responsible for what they choose to put in their mouths. They blame the government, the processed food industry, supermarkets, ‘society’ etc etc for the fact that they are clinically obese. Anything & everyone but themselves & their choices.

And I say that as a reformed fatty who lost 35kg the hard way & is now a healthy weight.

I just pulled those countries out of thin air really.

it is well documented that when countries take up more “western diet” obesity appears even where there was little/none before.

if they start to experience food noise too then that may indicate a link to UPF’s / processed carbs affecting brains as well as bodies.

I think about what I'm having for dinner while I'm eating breakfast. I'm in my 60s , I am most definitely NOT influenced by vacuous fluencers. I'm am not seriously overweight. I might be thinking about a chicken salad. It's a thing, and it's not new. It most certainly isn't a get out of jail card. It's a noise . There are many physical conditions that can make you hanker after different types of foods, but we don't know why we really fancy something, and just because we fancy something doesn't mean we just go for it.. but you crack on with your very narrow minded misinterpretation.

Japan and Kenya have some of the lowest overweight & obesity rates @ around 20% and 27% respectively.

Kenya has bigger starvation problems: 37%. of the population is undernourished. 18% of children under 5 have restricted growth.

I have found the phrase really beneficial to describe mine and my daughters eating habits.
I have a 5 year old and 18 months ago her weight gain massively slowed down. She has dropped nearly 3 BMI percentiles in this time.
She is completely uninterested by food. In March she still had 3 Easter eggs from last year uneaten! Usual tricks to get a child to eat more food haven't really worked as eating is a chore for her. She will very rarely ask for food or snacks and she rarely finishes what she is given.
I think she is the same as me, I very rarely get hungry, I never have the "it's nearly dinner time what do I want to eat" thoughts. We had a lunchtime hospital appointment today so it was 3 o clock before I got my lunch and it was only because I knew I hadn't eaten that I ate it.
I have had disordered eating since childhood and eating disorders from my teens and I had previously put it down to that but the talk about WLI and "food noise" have made me realise just how absent it is for me and most probably my daughter. It's guiding our approach to managing her diet and weight.

Ok, so before WLI I was constantly thinking about food and constantly hungry.

once on WLI that disappeared. Me not wanting to eat so much food anymore is only due to that disappearing. I don’t have any side effects, so I’m not feeling nauseous and I don’t feel full any sooner when eating…..I could still eat a whole pizza without feeling stuffed if I wanted to no problem. And if I go out for a meal I might do. But the snacking has definitely stopped. My weight loss has been ok but probably would have been better if I did feel full after 5 mouthfuls like for others.

after 18 months I stopped the WLI and the constantly thinking about food, wanting to snack all the time came back. I was waking at 7am with my tummy physically rumbling as so hungry again.

so if my previous over eating was caused by emotional eating why does this stop with WLI? The medication doesn’t affect my emotions so surely I’d still be emotionally eating? It must be something else. Emotional eating suggests eating due to boredom or sadness…..I’m not any more or less bored or sad on WLI than before.

im back in WLI and again was like the switch being flipped back.

I can't find anything online about people experiencing food noise in Japan except those who slurp ramen loudly!

Lack of willpower, greed, things like that. We understand it better so we name it more accurately (save for a large proportion of society who derive joy or self-esteem from feeling morally superior to fat people and so claim food noise doesn’t exist and it’s just an excuse for weak willed fatties not to face up to our shortcomings).

Food noise just feels like a new, rebranded, maybe less serious sounding term for intrusive/obsessive thoughts really.

People think it’s less serious because it’s over food but it’s not that much different than any other addiction.

Data actually shows that obesity starts BEFORE a westernised diet. It was data used in several obesity theories including the viral theory and the bacterial theories.

When I first heard the expression 'food noise' it resonated with me, as I do get that feeling of wanting to eat and it buzzing round my head when I know my stomach isn't even hungry.

Kenya is an interesting example because they're a society where food insecurity plagues a significant minority of the population but nonetheless also have a rising obesity rate. Obesity transition I believe is the formal name for it. Both things are a problem.

Of course, the people who are undernourished aren't in a position to fully indulge any food noise they have.

Many people, particularly people with ADHD suffer from food noise, myself included. If I can't focus at work, I find myself constantly thinking about snacking, what I can have, wanting to get up to get something etc.

I’m fascinated by the food noise / ADHD link, because the effect of WLI has been so noticeable on my ADHD. It must all be related to the skewiffy reward centres in ADHD brains. Because WLI cured my food noise but also mitigated my nail biting noise, my impulse spending noise, my chronic procrastination. A whole host of obsessive, impulsive behaviours which WLI have reined in.

I'm so glad you posted this. I joined slimpod working well so far (but I am cal.counting) this is my last chance before I resort to wL meds. Giving myself to Christmas. Ive managed to rewire lots of habits over the past year so fingers crossed.

Well done

@Hobbittyhobbs I totally agree with this. I'm not an alcoholic, but do find it hard to stop once I start and can easily drink a few glasses. The WLI stops my need to keep going with drinks/have fun. I can cut myself off very easily now after 1. It's less compulsive, the eating, the drinking etc. I think it re-wires my brain honestly.

I found everyone on WLI assumes that everyone struggles with 'food noise' and it does seem to be the popular phrase at the moment. Perhaps because it encapsulates emotional eating, over eating etc in one neat phrase.

I have never suffered with food noise, hungry and craving carbs/sweet food, emotional eating - absolutely.
However, just because I have never experienced it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. People are telling their truth, in a way that feels right to them. If they are actively wanting to change their lives and lose weight,, good for them.