Miami, FL: Young adults who consume cannabis are far less likely than never users to suffer from metabolic syndrome (MetS), according to data published in the American Journal of Open Medicine. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors, including unhealthy cholesterol levels and abdominal fat, that are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and adult-onset diabetes, among other serious health consequences.
Researchers affiliated with the University of Miami assessed the relationship between cannabis use and MetS in a nationally representative cohort of nearly 4,000 young adults (ages 18 to 25).
Consistent with prior studies, current cannabis consumers had lower waist circumference and lower BMI compared to controls.
Overall, current cannabis consumers possessed 42 percent lower odds of having MetS. Non-Hispanic Blacks, who acknowledged consuming cannabis at higher rates than other subjects, were least likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome.
“Current cannabis users had a lower prevalence of MetS, predominantly noted among NHB [non-Hispanic Blacks], the group with the highest prevalence of current cannabis use,” the study’s authors concluded. “Future prospective studies are warranted to examine the role of specific cannabinoids on MetS by race/ethnicity.”
Observational studies have previously reported an association between cannabis use and lower blood pressure and decreased rates of obesity.
Full text of the study, “Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among emerging adult cannabis users by race/ethnicity: Analysis of the 2009-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys,” appears in the American Journal of Open Medicine.