Cannabis Is Associated With Weight Loss, Lower BMI Per Meta-Analysis
For many years cannabis opponents have tried very hard to portray cannabis as being unhealthy, and that those who consume cannabis are lazy couch potatoes. Cannabis stigma comes in many forms, with ‘lazy shaming’ cannabis consumers being a particularly common version of it.
The fact of the matter is that cannabis can absolutely be a part of an active lifestyle. All a person needs to do to see that on display is to take into account how many elite athletes around the globe report consuming cannabis and that it has no negative impact on their health.
A new meta-analysis out of Brazil examined cannabis consumption as it pertains to weight loss and body mass index (BMI). Below is more about it via a news release from NORML:
Belo Horizonte, Brazil: Subjects who consume cannabis or cannabis-related products in clinical trials typically experience weight loss, according to a meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Brazilian researchers reviewed results from randomized controlled trials involving subjects’ use of cannabis or cannabis-related products.
They reported: “In general, cannabis use reduced weight … and WC [waist circumference]. When examining subgroups, longer follow-up periods were associated with a more pronounced BMI [body mass index] reduction.”
The study’s authors concluded, “These findings suggest that cannabis and sub-products could be considered adjuncts in obesity treatment by helping to reduce relevant anthropometric measurements.”
A 2022 ecological analysis published in the journal Health Economics reported that the adoption of state-licensed marijuana sales is associated with a decrease in state-level obesity rates.
Case-control studies have consistently reported that those with a history of marijuana use are less likely than abstainers to be obese or to suffer from type 2 diabetes. Studies have also previously linked cannabis use to greater rates of physical activity.
Full text of the study, “Effects of cannabis and sub-products on anthropometric measures: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” appears in the International Journal of Obesity.