As marijuana use becomes common in many states in the US, researchers are looking into its effects on health factors such as weight and obesity. A rec

Study Shows Marijuana Use Linked to Lower Obesity Rates, But More Research Needed to Confirm Weight-Loss Benefits

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2024-11-27 14:30:06

As marijuana use becomes common in many states in the US, researchers are looking into its effects on health factors such as weight and obesity.

A recent study (2016–2022) looking at the impact of marijuana use on body mass index (BMI) has revealed certain unexpected trends. Between the years 2016 and 2022, the number of adults aged 18 years and above consuming marijuana increased from 7.48 % to 14.91 % (Hasin, 2015). One of the main explanations for this increase is marijuana legalization. People in states where recreational use is permitted had a prevalence of use that was 81 % higher than those in states where cannabis is still illegal. Even the legalization of medical marijuana increased the average rate of use by 9%. It is obvious that when usage is allowed, there are higher tendencies of general usage.

This research demonstrates that those with a BMI greater or equal to 30, which classifies them as obese, tend to stay away from marijuana use much more than those with healthy or even lower BMI. These adults with obesity were on average using marijuana 35% less(Jin, 2017). This pattern applied to the majority of demographic and health groups apart from women, among whom no such differences recorded were statistically significant.

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