Semaglutide and Food Noise: A New Discovery
New findings presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria, reveal that people using semaglutide for weight loss report significantly less “food noise” than before they began treatment.
Food noise describes the constant, intrusive thoughts about food and eating that can dominate the mind. This mental chatter often makes it harder to maintain healthy habits and can contribute to overeating, which complicates weight management efforts.
Earlier studies have shown that about 57% of people living with overweight or obesity experience food noise, though many are unfamiliar with the term. Those who do recognize it often say these persistent thoughts interfere with their ability to make nutritious choices or follow an exercise plan.
Some individuals also say that food noise negatively impacts their overall well-being and quality of life.
GLP-1 Drugs and Appetite Control
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists such as semaglutide (sold under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic) are known to be highly effective for weight reduction in people with obesity. These medications imitate the hormone GLP-1, which helps control appetite by reducing hunger, slowing how quickly the stomach empties, and promoting a feeling of fullness after eating.
However, scientists have had limited insight into how semaglutide specifically influences food noise.
To explore this connection, researchers from Novo Nordisk and Market Track LLC, a market research firm, surveyed 550 adults in the United States (average age 53 years, 86% female) who were taking semaglutide for weight management.
Of these participants, 81% (447 people) reported using semaglutide for at least four months, and 86% said they weighed 92 kilograms (203lb) or more before beginning treatment.
Participants were asked to describe how food noise currently affects them and to reflect on how it influenced them before they started taking semaglutide.
Dramatic Reductions in Food Noise With Semaglutide
Analysis of the results showed that the participants were experiencing less food noise than before.
The proportion of participants experiencing constant thoughts about food throughout the day fell almost fourfold from 62% before starting treatment to 16%. The proportion who said they spent too much time thinking about food fell by a similar amount, from 63% to 15%.
The proportion who said they had uncontrollable thoughts about food fell more than threefold from 53% to 15%; the proportion who said their thoughts about food had negative effects on them or their life fell from 60% to 20%; and the proportion who said their thoughts about food distracted them from completing everyday activities fell from 47% to 15%.
Mental Health, Confidence, and Healthier Habits
The survey also contained questions that covered several areas of mental well-being.
Here, 352 (64%), 417 (76%), and 438 (80%) of the respondents reported an improvement in mental health, self-confidence, and the development of healthier habits, respectively.
It is not known if these improvements were related to the drop in food noise or to the participants’ weight loss.
The study’s authors conclude that semaglutide may reduce the amount of food noise that is experienced by individuals who are living with obesity.
Meeting: Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)
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