Frequency Of Marijuana Use Associated With Lower Prevalence Of Obesity, Study Says

[reggie the dog]

September 1, 2011 - Colombes, France "People using cannabis are less likely to be obese than people who do not use cannabis," authors say

Colombes, France: The prevalence of obesity in the general population is sharply lower among marijuana consumers than it is among nonusers, according to an analysis published online this week in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Investigators at the Louis Moureir Hospital in Colombes, France analyzed cross-sectional data from two representative epidemiological studies of US adults age 18 and older: the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) and the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication. Combined, the surveys included over 50,000 eligible respondents. Authors controlled for respondents' sociodemographic characteristics, including age, ethnicity, educational level, marital status, and tobacco use, but they did not factor into account subjects' physical activity or diet.

"The prevalence of obesity was significantly lower in cannabis users than in nonusers (16.1 percent versus 22 percent in the NESARC and 17.2 percent versus 25.3 percent in the NCS-R)," researchers reported.

They added, "The proportion of obese participants decreased with the frequency of cannabis use" -- noting that respondents who reported using the substance 'three days per week or more' were least likely to be obese compared to those who reported 'no cannabis use in the past 12 months.

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[hlthe2b]

1. So, French pot has that special "anti-munchie" additive?

;) hard to imagine...

On edit, I see that this was based on US residents.... Maybe there is something to it, as anything that "calms" or otherwise distracts might well diminish stress-related eating?

[tridim]

4. The munchies are overrated

In my past experience, cannabis just makes food taste better. I found that it helped make healthy foods more palatable.

[librechik]

14. excellent point, also, once you see the cow's face on pot, you don't want a burger so much

cannabis and veganism, a marriage made in Humboldt County

[reggie the dog]

24. the subjects of the study were American; the pot i grow here in France

gives people the munchies just like in the usa

[madokie]

37. Pot makes me want to do stuff not eat

Last thing I want to do is waste a good high on eating. I'd much rather work on a project or something like that. I've always got a lot of projects to work on too.

[reggie the dog]

51. i often go mountain biking or hiking after i smoke

[Lint Head]

2. Obviously overweight people spend more time eating than smoking pot.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Purely anecdotally, when I quit pot 20 years ago I started gaining

3lbs/year every year.

Does this mean I can move to a MM state and get an anti-obesity prescription?

[mike_c]

5. didn't factor in activity or DIET, which I'll bet includes more alcohol use...

...among the non cannabis smokers. A quick review of my personal history includes ten years or so when I was married to a raging alcoholic and during which I smoked pot only occasionally but drank, well, like my alcoholic ex. Needless to say, I gained weight, ultimately going from about 190 lbs (I'm a big guy) to about 275+.

After the divorce I struggled with my own drinking a little, but DAMN it had become a ritual habit that's hard to break. I've reduced my drinking considerably now, returned to DAILY pot smoking for stress reduction, and coincidentally lost over 50 lbs. I'm down to about 220 presently, and still losing weight, although currently pretty slowly. But then, I'm not trying very hard, either. Still, the net direction of change when I smoked little but drank a lot was rapid weight gain, while now, smoking daily and drinking relatively little, the net direction of weight change is toward slow, steady weight loss.

It works for me!

[Marrah_G]

6. How is that even possible?

I lose all ability to say "no thanks I don't want any soda, doritos, brownies...." or at least I did when I was younger.

[reggie the dog]

26. easy, lots of us use pot as a healthy alternative to alcohol

we also do sports as we care about our health

[Marrah_G]

33. I can't wait until it is legal here :)

It's been a long time, but I always remember that we loved to eat when stoned.

[reggie the dog]

34. what does legal have to do with it?

it is illegal here in france

[Marrah_G]

65. Well I am a mother

I am raising my two boys alone and can't afford to take a risk on fines or a arrests. Their needs come before my wants.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, reggie the dog.

[krabigirl]

8. It always made me lose weight. No idea why, maybe the strain I consumed.

Btw this was eating it or vaporizing, not smoking.

[TacticalPeek]

9. It's the smoking, stupid.

(not you, OP)

Plenty of people put on the pounds after kicking squares, too.

[Generic Other]

12. I think you are right

Guess you need to market this new weight loss plan!!

Breakfast:
banana
toast
joint

Lunch:
Tuna Salad
carrotsticks
bong hit

Dinner:
Chicken
steamed veggies
pot brownie

[reggie the dog]

27. nicotine stops appetite like cocaine

that is why so many women smoke cigs, pot does not do that.

[Taitertots]

10. They did not factor in diet or exercise, this study is totally meaningless

They controlled for a bunch of characteristics, but didn't include two obviously important factors in weight.

Where is the actual study? Oh, you have to PAY $40 to see it at the Oxford Journal website. http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/08/24/aje.kwr200.full.pdf+html

[JoeyT]

61. Or alcohol consumption.

People that smoke pot are probably a lot less likely to spend the weekend liquored up, since pot doesn't cause hangovers or puking. A 1.5 oz shot of 80 proof tequila/vodka/gin/etc has 97 calories from alcohol alone. Then there's all the sugar added into a lot of mixed drinks to make them taste better.

[deaniac21]

11. Main reason is that if you are a frequent user, you can't afford

as much food....

[Taitertots]

13. How much does pot cost around you?

Even at the high end, an ounce of regular pot should only cost like $150. That is enough to smoke out every day for well over a month.

[shanti]

18. $150 an ounce??

surely you jest. here in cali, top shelf mm from the dispensaries is about twice that.

[Taitertots]

20. I said for regular pot, not the top shelf

The top shelf would also last longer.

[reggie the dog]

30. i got great week in santa cruz for 200 an O last year

[Name removed]

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[dionysus]

19. 150 for dank? are you nuts?

[Taitertots]

22. "at the high end, an ounce of regular pot" Regular pot...

[RebelOne]

23. Many years ago, in the '70s, when I smoked pot,

the price was only $25 an ounce for the good stuff. Glad I don't smoke it any more. I couldn't afford it.

[shanti]

36. i remember those days

but the weed now is MUCH better quality and lasts a lot longer.

[reggie the dog]

25. no, just in France or in California

I have never paid more than 150 euros for 30 grams in France of weed but hash is 6 euros a gram

[tridim]

15. I grew legally for years, my cost broke down to about $30/oz.

That's dirt cheap, and one small crop per year was all I needed. It was a strictly personal grow with a state license.

I'd do it again in a second if the feds ever decide to let us have some freedom in less progressive states.

Anyway, I could still afford food and the satisfaction gained from the hobby was absolutely priceless. I miss it so much.

[reggie the dog]

31. hell this year i spent 50 euros on 5 feminized seeds and should get

at least 2 pounds which is only 2 euros an ounce, grow outside and you pay no electricity

[tridim]

32. Don't forget lights, fans, pumps and nutrients.

You'll still spend way less than retail, but that's where the real cost is.

You likely wont get two pounds dry from 5 plants, unless you grow trees, but then you need more light.

[reggie the dog]

35. all are 6 to 10 foot tall trees grown outdoors despite illegality

[Romulox]

39. Organic/soil can be much cheaper. nt

[reggie the dog]

45. we took soil washed up from a catastropic flood

filled up a pickup truck twice and drove to our grow spot then did a truck load of a goat shit and another of chimmeny ashes ALL FOR FREE and you dont need lights USE THE SUN GROW OUTDOORS

[Romulox]

50. Awesome!

I personally use bone, blood, kelp, wormcasting, and molasses. Also some dolomite lime. All of this costs money, but is cheap relative to "nutes".

But once again, I admire your grow. Sounds incredible, plus I only smoke organic nugs these days so I am onboard with the natural ammendments. :hippie:

[reggie the dog]

52. we use biodegradable soap like for backpacking to bathe and use that water to water our

crop during dry spells too so as not to use water soley for the crop

[Blue_In_AK]

42. You don't really need all of that.

[reggie the dog]

46. nope, sunshine and riverbed soil work just fine

[tridim]

53. You do if you live in the Burbs.

I grew in my back yard once, and was freaked out the entire summer.

My outdoor garden and greenhouse will be epic if/when it is legalized.

[Blue_In_AK]

58. You can scale down your light and whatnot

if you're growing indoors. You won't get huge buds, but the little ones work. Enough shop lights can provide adequate light and don't run up your electric bill ... or so I've been told. :evilgrin:

[tridim]

66. True. I was in the 400w club. Ceramic metal halide.

DIY recycled drip system in coco fiber, supercropped. I grew rock-hard buds the size of two liter bottles.

Nobody believed I was using such a small light. :)

400w barely made a blip on the electric bill.

[Romulox]

38. I recently paid $130 for 10 beans.

DJ Short Whitaker Blue. Not feminized.

[reggie the dog]

44. dutch passion's durban poison bought in maastrich

guarenteed female, never had a male and it harvests outdoor mid september BEFORE the other leaves on covering trees change and fall..... just sayin

[Romulox]

49. Outdoor ain't an option in high-density Dearborn, Michigan.

But I respect your setup immensely. :smoke:

[reggie the dog]

29. why not? if you grow it you smoke all you want

and can even make extra money off of it

[Blue_In_AK]

40. Grow your own.

Food AND pot. Saves money all around.

[reggie the dog]

47. and tobacco if you smoke it

all my tobacco smoking buddies who have land will be getting tobacco seeds from me for christmas this year

[Safetykitten]

16. Jane Fonda's Doper Diet with low calorie Little Debbie munchies guide.

[zalinda]

17. There are a number of factors

While every one cites calories in vs. calories out, there are also things happening in the body that screw those things up. Stress and late of sleep are two of reasons why some people gain weight, and I can see where pot would help in both those areas.

zalinda

[musiclawyer]

56. Bingo Plus sex.

Bud helps with stress and sleep. The sleep is deeper. Like when going to bed after using a chi machine ................Bud also acts like a natural viagra too. The sex is more intense and you want more of it over the couirse of a month or year = more calories burned. Moreover, I suspect that a lot of people who do bud care about their health and hence only do it after dinner, not during the day where there is more opportunity to eat. ( although I know plenty of people whose appetite is unaffected, and it fact get wired from a little puff) Finally, many (most) are now vaporizing instead of smoking for health reasons, which goes full circle back to the original premise. A by product of vaporizing is that's its also way cheaper because you use a fraction of the normal amount you smoke to vaporize; and all the leftover dried bud can be cooked, coming back to life as if it was unused. Thus, there is zero waste, unlike smoking, half of which just burns up and never makes it into you.
I just bought a portable pocket vaporizer for a friend as a b-day gift. Less than $100 bucs. She loves it. Can go anywhere--smokeless.

[RadiationTherapy]

21. Walking, biking, hiking, running are all lovely "on pot".

[distantearlywarning]

28. A lot of the pot smokers I knew in my youth also did lots of outdoor stuff

Rock climbing, hiking, biking, etc.

[Oilwellian]

64. And gardening.

:smoke:

[Romulox]

41. Marijuana is an excellent bronchodilator. It therefore enhances athletic activity.

[rug]

43. Not if you like brownies.

[NOMOREDRUGWAR]

48. END THE RACIST, CONSTITUTION DESTROYING DRUG WAR NOW

Just wanted to say that.

[Rex]

54. Not true, your metabolism decides your weight and smoking

dope increases a persons appetite. Maybe they did something else to help lose weight, but smoking dope wasn't one of the factors.

[MH1]

59. anxiety. stress, and sleep are huge factors in obesity

pot influences all of those factors in favor of weight loss.

[sofa king]

63. Perhaps metabolism also decides whether or not one likes weed.

Eating, drinking alcohol, exercise, and potsmoking all biochemically alter our metabolisms. I know there is an idea kicking around, at least among social workers, that affinity for particular drugs and habits may be somehow related to particular chemical imbalances within the person.

But you'd think that would be easy to show, and have been well demonstrated in experiments by now, and I don't think it has been... has it?

[killbotfactory]

55. The probably drink less alcohol

Just a guess.

[musiclawyer]

57. If science did a study, you would be proved correct no doubt

Lots of people who smoke or vapor also drink. But not in excess. Alcohol screws up your sex and sleep life--just the opposite of bud.

[Maine-ah]

60. rec'd

this whole fucking thread is cool. :smoke:

[eridani]

62. Did they control for tobacco mixed with the pot? This is common in Europe

When in an Amsterdam "coffee shop," if you want to buy by the joint and don't want tobacco in it, you have to ask for an "American" joint.

[Name removed]

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[Viva_La_Revolution]

70. a toke or two can let me walk up and down stairs with little pain...

instead of avoiding them, that's a good thing.

I also hate housework, unless I'm stoned.. then I don't mind it so much. :)