Nearly 18% of US adults reported frequent food noise, with loss of control over eating showing the strongest association with greater food noise frequency. Overall, 50.8% of adults experienced food noise at least sometimes, suggesting that persistent food-related thoughts are commonly reported in the general population.
The cross-sectional study analyzed data from 1,000 US adults aged 18 years or older who participated in the Society of Behavioral Medicine Omnibus Survey, administered online by Verasight in May 2026. Researchers used survey weights to approximate the national adult population across demographic and geographic characteristics, including age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, education, and region.
The primary outcome was the prevalence of perceived food noise, assessed using a single question describing experiences such as constantly thinking about food despite not being hungry or feeling that one's life revolves around food. Participants rated their experiences from never to always, with frequent food noise defined as occurring often or always. Secondary analyses examined demographic characteristics, eating and weight-management behaviors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medication use, self-rated health, and attitudes toward dietary change. Investigators used weighted comparisons and multivariable ordinal logistic regression to assess associations with food noise frequency.
Overall, 17.9% of respondents reported experiencing food noise often or always, while 32.9% experienced it sometimes. Another 32% reported experiencing it rarely, and 17% reported never experiencing it.
Loss of control over eating showed the strongest association with perceived food noise. Among participants reporting this behavior during the preceding month, 56.7% experienced frequent food noise. In the adjusted analysis of 938 participants with complete data, loss of control over eating was associated with approximately 6 times the odds of reporting greater food noise frequency.
Other eating-related behaviors were also associated with frequent food noise. Among participants who reported eating less to change their weight or shape, 27.8% experienced frequent food noise, as did 24.3% of those who had attempted weight loss during the preceding 12 months.
Food noise frequency also varied by sex, age, and race and ethnicity. Frequent food noise was reported by 22.7% of women vs 12.6% of men. Adults aged 18 to 29 years had the highest prevalence at 26.5%, compared with 13.4% among adults aged 60 years or older. Asian non-Hispanic respondents reported the highest prevalence at 32.2%.
These patterns generally persisted following adjustment for other measured factors. Being Asian and non-Hispanic was associated with approximately 2.2 times the odds of greater food noise frequency, while female sex was associated with approximately 1.5 times the odds. Older age was independently associated with lower reported food noise frequency.
Perceived food noise also varied by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use. Frequent food noise was reported by 25.7% of current users and26.7% of former users, compared with 16.3% of respondents who had not used these medications during the preceding 12 months. Current GLP-1 RA use remained associated with greater food noise frequency following adjustment, with approximately 1.6 times the odds compared with nonuse. Former medication use was not independently associated with food noise frequency in the adjusted model.
According to the researchers, the higher prevalence among GLP-1 RA users should not be interpreted as evidence that these medications increase food noise. Patients receiving these medications may have underlying characteristics associated with greater food-related preoccupation, while treatment-related changes in awareness of food noise could also contribute to the observed association.
Participants reporting frequent food noise also reported poorer dietary quality and mental health. On 5-point scales, mean self-rated dietary quality was 2.91 among those experiencing frequent food noise vs 3.30 among those reporting food noise less frequently. Corresponding mental health scores were 2.98 vs 3.49. Participants experiencing frequent food noise also placed greater importance on social support for dietary change and attributed greater influence to genetics in determining body weight. Poorer mental health remained independently associated with greater food noise frequency following adjustment, whereas physical health did not.
The study had several limitations. The cross-sectional design prevented causal conclusions, and the secondary analysis was restricted to variables available in the existing survey. Food noise was assessed using a single question reflecting everyday descriptions rather than a validated clinical measure, while other variables relied on self-reported perceptions. The dataset lacked information about participants' weight and weight-cycling history, and the adjusted analysis included only 938 participants with complete data. Additionally, food noise remains an evolving concept whose distinction from established constructs such as food preoccupation and intrusive food-related thoughts has not been fully established.
The findings suggest that perceived food noise is common among US adults and associated with demographic characteristics, eating-related behaviors, and poorer self-reported mental health. However, the researchers noted further research is needed to determine whether food noise represents a distinct clinical construct and to clarify its relationship with medication use.
"Longitudinal designs with pre- and post-assessments will be essential to disentangle baseline vulnerability from medication-related changes in perceptions of food noise," wrote lead study author Daisuke Hayashi, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and colleagues.
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Source: Obesity Science & Practice
