Written By: Pharmacally Medical News Desk
A U.S. survey presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Annual Meeting has shed light on how people taking semaglutide for weight management experience more than just physical benefits. Participants reported a marked reduction in “food noise” intrusive and obsessive thoughts about food and noted substantial improvements in mental well-being, self-confidence, and overall lifestyle habits.
These findings come from the INFORM Survey (Impact of Food Noise After Initiating Semaglutide Treatment), sponsored by Novo Nordisk, which aimed to better understand the psychological and behavioral effects of semaglutide among adults using it for weight control.
Study Design and Participant Profile
The INFORM survey was conducted in May 2025 across multiple U.S. regions. A total of 673 adults using semaglutide for weight management were invited, and 550 completed the online questionnaire.
Mean age: 53.1 years (median 54)
Sex: 86% female
Race: 79% White, 13% Black or African American, 6% Hispanic, and 1% Asian
Treatment duration: 81% had used semaglutide for at least 4 months, and 30% for more than one year
Participants were asked to recall their experiences before starting semaglutide and to report their current experiences while using it.
Measuring “Food Noise”
“Food noise” refers to intrusive, repetitive thoughts about food that can interfere with mental focus, daily functioning, and emotional well-being.
To assess this, the survey used the Food Noise Questionnaire (FNQ) a structured set of statements designed to measure the intensity and frequency of food-related thoughts and urges. Respondents rated their agreement before and after semaglutide use.
The questionnaire items included (agreement measured by “agree” or “strongly agree”):
- I find it hard to focus because I am thinking about food.
- I often have obsessive thoughts about food.
- Thoughts about food interfere with my daily activities.
- I feel a strong urge or craving for food throughout the day.
- My thoughts about food are intrusive and hard to control.
The Food Noise Questionnaire used in INFORM was developed by Novo Nordisk researchers for this study. The questionnaire and scoring details are available at Novo Nordisk Science Hub-INFORM Poster
Key Findings: Notable Reduction in Food Noise
Participants reported a marked decline in food-related intrusive thoughts after starting semaglutide.
Before treatment, a majority agreed with statements describing obsessive food thoughts, whereas during treatment, most disagreed or strongly disagreed.
For example:
- The proportion of participants who said they “often think about food throughout the day” dropped from about 62% before treatment to 16% while on treatment.
- Similar improvements were observed across all other questionnaire items.
These self-reported reductions suggest a substantial improvement in cognitive and emotional control around food.
Improvements in Mental Health and Lifestyle
In addition to reductions in food noise, participants reported several positive psychological and behavioral outcomes:
83% were satisfied or highly satisfied with their current weight-management treatment.
64% said their overall mental health had improved since starting semaglutide.
76% reported greater self-confidence.
76% said they had developed a healthier lifestyle.
80% indicated they had adopted healthier habits overall.
These findings suggest that semaglutide benefits may extend beyond physical weight reduction, influencing motivation, emotional balance, and lifestyle maintenance.
Study Limitations
While the results are promising, there are certain limitations to study
The INFORM survey was self-reported and retrospective, relying on participants’ recall of pre-treatment experiences.
There was no control group or placebo comparator, so causality cannot be confirmed.
Participants were self-selected and predominantly female and White, limiting generalizability.
These factors mean that while semaglutide use correlates strongly with reduced food noise and improved mental health, definitive causal conclusions require further controlled research.
Implications and Future Research
The INFORM survey underscores the dual potential of semaglutide in weight management addressing both physiological and psychological aspects of obesity. For many patients, food noise can undermine adherence and emotional well-being, and its reduction may play a key role in sustaining long-term success.
Future research should focus on prospective, controlled trials that:
Adjust for weight loss to determine whether improvements are independent of physical change,
Validate the Food Noise Questionnaire psychometrically,
Include more diverse populations, and
Examine the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these psychological effects.
Kajsa Kvist, on behalf of her co-authors, stated that the analysis clearly shows semaglutide significantly reduces food noise intrusive and obsessive thoughts about food among people using the drug for weight management. She emphasized the comprehensive nature of the survey, which included a validated food noise questionnaire and mental well-being questions. The team highlighted that a high proportion of respondents reported a reduction in food noise since beginning semaglutide, alongside improvements in mental health, self-confidence, and healthier lifestyle adoption.
At Conclusion, The INFORM survey, presented at EASD 2025, found that individuals using semaglutide for weight management reported substantial reductions in “food noise” and notable gains in mental well-being, self-confidence, and healthy behaviors.
References
Timothy Arnaut et al, Impact of food noise after initiating semaglutide treatment: results from a US survey (INFORM), Presented at the 61st Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, 15–19 September 2025, Vienna, Austria.
Semaglutide may help reduce ‘food noise’, 16 Sep 2025, Scimex, https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/semaglutide-could-help-reduce-food-noise?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Dhurandhar, E.J., Maki, K.C., Dhurandhar, N.V. et al. Food noise: definition, measurement, and future research directions. Nutr. Diabetes 15, 30 (2025), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-025-00382-x
Long-Term SELECT Trial: Semaglutide Cuts Cardiovascular Events by 20% beyond Weight Loss, https://pharmacally.com/long-term-select-trial-semaglutide-cuts-cardiovascular-events-by-20-beyond-weight-loss/
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