People taking Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy® experienced reduced food noise and boosted mental well-being
Novo Nordisk today announced results from the US-based INFORM survey of people taking semaglutide for weight management (Wegovy®), at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025, Vienna, Austria. The INFORM survey revealed that individuals experienced a substantial drop in food noise after starting Wegovy® treatment, alongside notable improvements in their mental well-being and lifestyle. Food noise – unwanted and intrusive thoughts about food – can affect the mental well-being, quality of life and weight loss efforts of those living with overweight or obesity.
“There are so many factors that challenge people with overweight or obesity in their efforts to lose weight, including food noise,” said Filip Knop, MD PhD, senior vice president and incoming chief medical officer at Novo Nordisk. “It is very encouraging to see these new data from people using Wegovy® that, in addition to weight loss, Wegovy® may help quiet disruptive thoughts about food, support improved mental well-being and help enable people to live healthier lives.”
On Wegovy® treatment, the survey showed a decline of 46% in the number of people experiencing constant thoughts about food throughout the day (reported by 62% before starting Wegovy® versus 16% on Wegovy®).1 The proportion of participants who reported that food noise had a negative effect on their lives was 60% before starting treatment, which dropped to 20% for respondents on Wegovy® treatment.
Around two-thirds (64%) of respondents reported that their mental health improved since starting Wegovy® treatment.1 Substantial majorities also reported developing a healthier lifestyle (76%) and healthier habits (80%).1 Around 8 in 10 (83%) of individuals in the study were satisfied with their Wegovy® treatment.
Novo Nordisk continues to investigate how obesity impacts individuals’ day-to-day lives. An upcoming presentation at EASD highlights eating behaviour and control of eating with semaglutide from the STEP UP clinical trial. The findings add to the growing evidence of the broad health benefits of semaglutide in people with obesity, alongside its established effect on weight loss.3 Full results of the STEP UP and STEP UP T2D clinical trials were published in Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology on 14 September 2025.
About the INFORM survey
INFORM was a US-based survey of 550 people taking Wegovy® for weight loss, using a previously validated Food Noise Questionnaire with 22 questions to assess the impact of Wegovy® on mental well-being and eating habits relating to food noise.1,4 The mean age of individuals who participated in the survey was 53, and 86% reported as female. Around twothirds (64%) reported a weight of 92 kg or above when starting Wegovy® treatment.
About food noise
Food noise is a constant, obsessive and intrusive stream of food-related thoughts, distinct from hunger, and not necessarily related to the body’s need for energy.2,4–6 Food noise is experienced by the majority of people with obesity and can affect mental well-being through emotions such as guilt, shame and anxiety.2,7 Intrusive and excessive thoughts from food noise can distract people with obesity across many areas of their lives, and can hinder weight loss efforts.
