Listen: the science behind snacking

If you’ve ever found yourself reaching for a snack even when you’re not hungry, it might not be about willpower — it could be “food noise”, a little-known but widespread psychological phenomenon affecting millions of us, a persistent mental chatter and cravings that tempt people to eat when they do not need to, often triggered by boredom, stress, advertising or even the office snack drawer.

Food thoughts bother almost all (88%) of us at least occasionally, while half struggle with them regularly, despite only one in four having previously heard of the term “food noise”. However, once explained, 84% recognised the symptoms.

While only 25% of participants had heard the term before, according to figures by Numan, an overwhelming 84% recognised the symptoms once it was explained, highlighting the need to raise awareness and support those suffering.

Aston spoke to Zoe Griffiths, dietitian and vice president of behavioural medicine at Numan and Ava Grace.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash