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Understanding Food Noise: How to Recognize and Address Unhealthy Eating Habits

12/20/2024 5 min. read

Girl smiling with apple and orange on a table in front of her

The aroma of freshly baked cookies, the sight of a favorite dish or the memory of a recent meal are all food cues that trigger a desire to eat. But when do these cues become overwhelming? How can you identify if your child is experiencing excessive thoughts surrounding food, called food noise? Children’s Hospital Colorado pediatric nutrition experts Richard Boles, PhD,  Jaime Moore, MD, and Kelda Reimers, RD explain symptoms, solutions and more. 

What is food noise?

Food noise can be described as the internal chatter surrounding food and eating. While it’s natural to think about these things daily, it becomes a concern when the thoughts are intense, persistent and disruptive. These excessive thoughts about eating can emerge at any age, although they are more likely to begin during childhood due to developmental, social or environmental influences. 

According to Dr. Moore, food noise intensity depends on internal factors, like genetics and hunger and fullness cues, and external factors, such as our environment, social media and peer pressure. Dr. Moore likens food noise to the competing feelings portrayed in the movie “Inside Out,” where different emotions — joy, sadness, anger and fear — wrestle for control of the film’s main character. Similarly, food noise is another input competing for attention.

“Food noise is one of many inputs — like various emotions — that children and adults have to process, prioritize and ultimately react to,” Dr. Moore explains.

For parents of young children, it can be hard to know if your child is experiencing food noise. When it’s too loud, it can act like a bully, Dr. Moore says.

When thoughts about food become intrusive, parents may notice child behaviors such as constant requests for food, frequent questions about the next meal and sneaking or hiding food. 

Diet culture, food noise and adolescents

Diet culture is not a recent phenomenon. It’s a part of American life. For centuries, the media have featured trendy diets and tips focused on losing weight.

“Our culture promotes a strong desire to be thin,” Dr. Boles says. “As a result, food noise and these cultural influences lead to things like kids wanting to diet, restrict food, and kids viewing food as being good or bad.”  

In our media landscape, the number of ways to market to adolescents has never been higher. According to a study by the University of Vermont, TikTok perpetuates toxic diet culture among teens and young adults. The researchers identified key themes across the app’s most popular videos, including the glorification of weight loss, positioning of food to achieve health and thinness and nutrition advice provided by people who were not health professionals. 

In a clinical setting, Dr. Moore says she hears about diet trends from her patients that suggest sometimes extreme and unsustainable actions, promising immediate results.

“When we think about pairing that high-risk, high-reward messaging with a brain that’s still developing, we have to pay attention and try our best to counter it with factual information in a supportive way,” Dr. Moore says. 

Parents can support their children by cultivating body positivity, the belief that one’s body is inherently valuable. Establishing this belief can help foster a healthy self-image and boost confidence. For teens, it can promote a healthy and positive relationship with themselves.

Food noise and neurodivergent children

Food noise differs from person to person, but according to Dr. Boles, food noise can be more intensive for children with neurodivergence, specifically autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

“We know food obsession is commonly associated with kids diagnosed with neurodivergence. There are constant thoughts about food that are even more restricted for these kiddos because they have very specific foods, textures and even colors they may prefer,” Dr. Boles explains.  

Dr. Boles adds that children with autism often develop rigid eating habits, which unintentionally makes preferred foods more desirable. These foods provide comfort, predictability and reduce anxiety, but they can also reinforce behaviors like eating when not hungry.

Ways to quiet food noise

It’s never too early or too late to make changes to lessen the impact of food noise.  

“We’re not trying to achieve perfection. But, when children and the adults in their lives practice thoughts and behaviors that promote a healthy mind-body relationship, it can be really impactful over time,” Dr. Moore says. “Whenever possible, adults can use strong and consistent messaging and actions that the value and strengths of an individual are independent of body shape and size.”

Here are recommendations from Drs. Moore and Boles to help quiet food noise:

  • Maintain a consistent and scheduled routine around eating.
  • Eat meals in a designated shared space to create a focused and mindful environment.
  • Remove screens during mealtimes.
  • Get an adequate amount of sleep.
  • Distract the mind with physical activity that is enjoyable to the child.
  • Eat with all five senses, encouraging intentionality when eating.
  • Avoid skipping meals.
  • Serve both liked foods and new foods.

“It’s a common challenge for us all. As adults, we can help model our own reaction to food noise. That’s why I like the idea of setting family goals,” Dr. Boles says.

Modeling healthy behaviors

Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children’s relationship with food through their conversations and actions. Registered dietitian Kelda Reimers says the way parents talk about their own eating habits or body image can leave a lasting impression. For example, a parent might casually mention they are skipping dessert because they want to lose weight. While it may seem harmless, these comments often stick with children, influencing how they think about food and their own bodies.

“These messages can contribute to food noise in a child's head because someone they trust made a negative comment about a good tasting food,” Reimers explains. “Over time, these types of interactions accumulate and may grow into disordered eating patterns for our kids.”

When to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider

If you notice the following in your child despite trying these strategies, our experts recommend that you talk to your primary care doctor:

  • A persistent loss of control resulting in chronic overeating or undereating
  • Ongoing struggles with your child’s mental health
  • Continued issues with your child sneaking food
  • Eating behaviors that negatively impact family or social relationships

Medication to help quiet food noise

For some individuals, medication can be a helpful tool when prescribed by their doctor. Our bodies naturally create the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which helps regulate blood sugar, digestion and appetite. GLP-1 drugs, like semaglutide (brand names Ozempic or Wegovy), are a class of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. They work on targets in the brain and gastrointestinal tract to reduce hunger and increase the feeling of fullness.

“These medicines are really targeting the biology behind the scenes,” Dr. Moore says. “For those who experience food noise as very disruptive, medications can create cognitive space and decrease pressure and tension in the mind around food to allow people to concentrate on a whole host of other things in their lives.”

Always consult with your doctor to discuss the potential benefits and risks before considering any medication.