Silence 'food noise' for good
No Ozempic required
I’ve resisted writing about GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro because I don’t write about weight loss. But it’s becoming clear that these drugs are no longer just a weight loss story.
There’s emerging evidence to show they can cut the risk of not only diabetes, but also everything from dementia and heart disease to depression.
Of course, there are downsides. Reported side effects have included nausea, deteriorating bone density, reduced libido and hair loss. Having been through breast cancer treatment, that sounds alarmingly like the chemo consent form to me.
Along with making you feel less inclined to eat, these medications also appear to make you feel less inclined to do other things. Some of which are good (anecdotally, people drink less alcohol), and some bad - people have reported struggling to find the motivation to exercise. Frankly, I don’t need any help feeling disinclined to exercise.
Zooming out to look at the big picture, you could argue that the wide use of these drugs might impact the food landscape in a healthy way. Assuming that people are approaching these medications sensibly (we must hope!), then eating less food overall means they’ll be focusing more on fibre, nutrients, protein and healthy fats. This is already affecting some food brands. Last week, I saw a sign in the window of a fast food chain in London advertising their new smaller, high protein meals: “Hungry For Less?” It’s a long way from the days of Super Size Me.
So much has been written about the creeping normality of GLP-1s, it feels as though everyone is on them. Stats from a year ago say that 12% of Americans have tried them (I’m sure it’s higher than that now). Here in the UK, they’re easy to obtain from online pharmacies, with a little manipulating of your BMI - provided you have the funds. Because here’s the thing: unless you’re one of the small number of patients to receive these drugs on the NHS, they’re expensive.
Clearly, this is widening the health gap between rich and poor.
Already, in the UK, those in the most deprived areas can expect to live 18 fewer healthy years than those in the least deprived areas.
Then there’s the more nebulous and philosophical issue about what it means to remove hunger from a person’s life. This most basic of human urges is visceral - we all know how good it feels to eat when you’re hungry. Does the end of hunger equate to the end of enjoying food?
I recently sat next to a man at a dinner event who swore blind that it doesn’t. He was on Mounjaro, and said that he enjoys food more than ever because the stress and guilt around it is gone. He said food still tastes great, and now he can enjoy nice meals without bingeing or endlessly snacking throughout the day.
Which brings me to the thing about GLP-1s that actually appeals to me: silencing “food noise”.
This is a new phrase for something that we’ve always known. Some people can sit in the pub with chips in a bowl on the table, and chat to their friends without even thinking about the chips.
Whereas others have an ongoing dialogue in their head:
“I shouldn’t have a chip because, if I have one, I’ll want the entire bowl. Right, I’ve had one. How many of these chips is it polite for me to take? Why is no one else eating the chips? She’s only had one, and he hasn’t had any, and now the chips are getting cold. Please eat the chips while they’re hot! Everyone’s being polite about not taking the last chip. Now I’ve had more than anyone, I’ll have to buy more chips.”
And so on.
My own experience of food noise happens when I’ve got work to do. Give me a deadline, and I’ll immediately need a snack. (Not ideal for someone whose job involves regular deadlines.) I work from home, so my biggest source of procrastination is my fridge. For me, it’s not about gaining weight; I just feel that I’d have more time and headspace if I wasn’t constantly thinking about food.
Happily, there is a new food noise guru on the block. Dr Jack Mosley, son of the late Dr Michael Mosley, is the author of Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings. Yes, it’s partly for people who are on (or considering taking) GLP-1s, but a large element of it is how to sustain the change and quieten food noise forever.
I asked him for advice that we can all use to block out food noise. This is what he said:
“Remove temptation. So much of our food environment is out of our control, so focus on the environment you can control - in your home. It is harder to succumb to temptations if they are not within reach.”
“Plan ahead. A weekly meal plan can remove the daily stress of making healthy choices. Include straightforward recipes with plenty of protein, fibre and nutrients. And consider setting aside time on a Sunday to batch cook.”
“Reduce stress. Break the vicious circle of stress, low mood and overeating. When you’re stressed, the volume of food noise is turned up and you’re more likely to eat processed junk foods. Stress busters include exercise, mindfulness and sleep.”
“Keep yourself full with a Mediterranean-style diet of protein, fibre and healthy fats. It can get you into a virtuous cycle of eating well. Tweak your snacks too: swap crisps for nuts, biscuits for fruit, and milk chocolate for dark chocolate.”
“Don’t try and be perfect, and don’t punish yourself. This simply leads to falling off the wagon and binge eating. It’s more difficult to lose weight when you associate a food item with guilt. Be kind to yourself.”
Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings by Dr Jack Mosley is out today
This week I’m…
Interested to see that WeightWatchers is filing for bankruptcy, with weight loss medications to blame
Taking parenting tips from Matriarch by Tina Knowles
Obsessed with the fact that 840,000 people(!) entered this year’s London Marathon ballot. When did so many people become not only runners, but marathon-running runners?? Relatedly, I loved the Culture Study podcast on Does Running Culture Suck?
Cooking spring quiche from The New French Kitchen and pretending that I’m as chic as Géraldine Leverd…
Deadlines and snacks! Lethal combo!!!
Hi Rosamund, I was interested to read your article as I have been through the same treatment as you and recently started Mounjaro. Iam doing this for reasons which are supported by my oncologist. Namely being overweight significantly increases the chances of cancer recurrence. Also, I have severe lymphoedema and anecdotal evidence shows that weight reduction helps the swelling and improves lymphatic drainage. Finally, the treatment l have had, and the drugs l am now on, have made it impossible to lose weight naturally.
I miss drinking alcohol, but no longer drink, due to the increased risk associated with cancer recurrence. I see reducing my weight with Mounjaro, albeit to the possible detriment of my enjoyment of food and any side effects, as being as positive and important as exercising, eating healthily and alcohol abstinence to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.
So in my opinion, contrary to your title and to conclude, that for me, and potentially for others who have had cancer, these injections may be required. However, I have not seen this point of view expressed anywhere.