Persistent thoughts about food are a familiar experience for many people, yet researchers are only beginning to investigate whether these thoughts represent a distinct phenomenon with important implications for health. Often referred to as "food noise", this emerging concept has attracted growing attention from researchers, clinicians, and patients alike as questions mount around its relationship with appetite regulation, obesity, diabetes, and psychological well-being. 

To advance understanding in this evolving field, Nutrition & Diabetes is launching the collection Food Noise. The collection aims to bring together research that helps define, measure, and better understand food noise, while exploring its biological, behavioural, and therapeutic dimensions.

Why is food noise attracting so much interest?

Despite increasing discussion of food noise in both clinical and public settings, many fundamental questions remain unanswered. Is food noise a measurable psychological construct? How does it relate to appetite regulation and eating behaviour? Are there underlying biological mechanisms that contribute to its emergence? And could addressing food noise improve health outcomes for individuals living with obesity, diabetes, or disordered eating? 

As researchers seek answers to these questions, there is an opportunity to establish a stronger evidence base around a topic that many patients describe but that science is still working to characterise. By bringing together diverse perspectives and methodologies, this collection aims to support the development of a more consistent understanding of food noise and its relevance to health and disease. 

An interdisciplinary opportunity

Investigating food noise requires expertise from multiple disciplines. Understanding how persistent food-related thoughts arise and influence behaviour may involve insights from psychology, neuroscience, obesity research, metabolism, endocrinology, and behavioural science.

Accordingly, the collection welcomes cutting-edge research, clinical perspectives, and patient-reported outcomes that contribute to defining and understanding food noise. Studies examining its measurement, prevalence, biological basis, behavioural impacts, and potential interventions are particularly encouraged. 

Shaping the future of research and care

As interest in food noise continues to grow, so does the need for rigorous research that can inform evidence-based approaches to treatment and care. Contributions to this collection have the potential not only to advance scientific understanding but also to help clinicians better address an experience that may have a significant impact on daily life and long-term health outcomes. 

The collection is led by guest editors Gary D. Foster, Ph.D. and Nikhil Dhurandhar, Ph.D., and supports research aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. 

Whether your work focuses on behavioural mechanisms, clinical outcomes, patient experiences, or emerging therapeutic approaches, this collection offers an opportunity to contribute to one of the newest and most intriguing conversations in nutrition and metabolic health research. 

Submissions are open on an ongoing basis.