Fighting food noise: Numan calls for holistic obesity interventions

In a nationwide survey, 88% of UK consumers say they sometimes feel tempted to eat even when they’re not physically hungry, while half of the respondents regularly struggle with that temptation. The UK healthtech company Numan, which commissioned the survey, blames this finding on “food noise” — intrusive food thoughts and temptations that can lead to overeating. 

Although few of the 2,000 respondents were aware of food noise, 84% said they experienced it at least once, after learning its definition. Almost half (43%) of respondents think about food “all the time.” 

The survey identified several emotional and environmental triggers of food noise, such as boredom, stress, and the availability of fast food and office snacks.

Numan aims to raise awareness about the complexity of these cravings and urges that they be managed with the right comprehensive support. The company says this is the first UK general population study on food noise using a validated questionnaire. 

“Constant cravings aren’t just about greed or a lack of willpower. ‘Food noise’ is a very real challenge for many of us in the UK — it’s that voice in your head saying ‘go on, have a biscuit’ even when you’re not physically hungry,” says Zoe Griffiths, VP of Behavioural Medicine at Numan. 

“Our research shows almost everyone has it. We need to help people deal with those nagging urges in smarter ways, instead of making them feel guilty for giving in.” 

People who described themselves as being overweight or obese were more likely to say their thoughts about food feel uncontrollable compared to people who were not overweight — 42% versus 21%. Almost half (45%) of people living with obesity or overweight agreed that these thoughts have adverse effects on them and their lives. 

Food noise triggers

The top five environmental triggers are availability of fast food (for 35% of respondents), easy reach placement of sweets and snacks when shopping (24%), interrupted routines (22%), office snacks (19%), and TV ads (19%). 

Food noise consists of intrusive food thoughts and temptations that can lead to overeating.The key emotional triggers to food noise identified include boredom (for 33% of respondents), wanting a little treat or pick-me-up (26%), stress (24%), low mood or depression (24%), and lack of sleep (17%). 

People who described themselves as being overweight or obese were more likely to give in to food noise when experiencing some of these emotional well-being triggers, such as low mood or depression, stress, anxiety, and frustration or anger. 

Half of the people with overweight or obesity say their relationship with food is impacting their mental well-being, compared to 20% of all other respondents. Moreover, 70% of overweight or obese participants struggle to resist their cravings when experiencing food noise, while this was the case for 44% of all respondents. 

People living with obesity are over three times as likely to report “constantly” experiencing food noise compared to other participants, and struggle more to “resist the call of the fridge” after dark. 

Experts previously told Nutrition Insight that consumers experience more food noise during the holiday season. They recommended mindful eating and balancing indulgent foods with nutritious options, and highlighted the benefits of weight loss medications to reduce food noise. 

Willpower is not enough

Although the survey found various food noise triggers, 65% of respondents say willpower mainly determines their food choices. 

Numan calls for a holistic approach to tackling the UK’s obesity crisis that recognizes it as a complex and chronic disease.Numan underscores that this “outdated” mindset focusing on self-restraint misses the bigger picture of biology’s and psychology’s impact on appetite. The company calls for a more holistic approach to tackling the UK’s obesity crisis that recognizes it as a complex and chronic disease. 

“You can’t solve obesity by telling people to eat less and move more,” underscores Griffiths. “Too many people still see obesity through the lens of personal failure rather than as a complex condition influenced by genetics, socio-economics, and environmental factors.” 

“This perspective not only fuels stigma but discourages people from seeking medical help, whether through obesity management treatments or government-supported programs.” 

Instead of viewing cravings as a personal failing, the company wants to raise awareness that they are common and manageable with the right medical and nutritional tools. To this end, Numan offers personalized, integrated care on its digital platform. 

“Medical conditions deserve medical treatment,” says Griffiths. “And thanks to the new scientific understandings and advancements in obesity management, we have the tools to help people — from medication to nutritional coaching.” 

“By tackling the mental, emotional, and biological sides of hunger, we give people a real shot at losing weight and keeping it off.”