For many years, cannabis consumers were portrayed by mainstream media, film, and cannabis opponents as being out of shape and unmotivated. The ‘lazy stoner’ stereotype has historically been very common in societies across the globe.

In reality, cannabis use can absolutely be a part of an active lifestyle. As proof of that, consider how many elite athletes report having consumed cannabis for many years. Top competitors in many different sports consume cannabis, including Olympic champions.

A team of academic and health researchers based in Australia recently conducted an analysis examining cannabis use, obesity rates, and metabolic syndrome. The results of the examination, which were published in the journal Schizophrenia Research, shed new light on cannabis use and weight management.

“We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 988 participants with DSM-IV schizophrenia from the CATIE study. Cannabis use was measured via hair testing for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the gold standard for long-term use detection.” the reearchers wrote about their methodology. “Metabolic syndrome was defined per International Diabetes Federation criteria using physical and biochemical data. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and lifestyle confounders, assessed the association between THC use and metabolic syndrome (MetS).”

“THC-positive participants (14.8 %) exhibited a significantly lower prevalence of MetS compared to non-users (42.5 % vs. 60.5 %, p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders including age, sex, ethnicity, smoking, and other substance use, cannabis use remained independently associated with reduced odds of MetS (adjusted OR 0.64, 95 %CI 0.44–0.93, p = 0.02). Among MetS components, cannabis users had significantly lower odds of elevated waist circumference after adjustment (adjusted OR 0.61, 95 %CI 0.41–0.91, p = 0.02). Cannabis use was also associated with lower weight, BMI and triglycerides and higher HDL in unadjusted analyses. No significant differences were found in blood pressure or fasting glucose.” the researchers found.

“In schizophrenia, cannabis use was associated with lower rates of both metabolic syndrome and central obesity. While these findings support emerging evidence of metabolic differences in cannabis users, the cross-sectional design precludes conclusions regarding causality. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify long-term metabolic effects and guide targeted interventions.” the researchers concluded.