The world’s most fun diet: SMOKE POT to lose weight

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Despite the tendency of marijuana users to experience the “munchies,” pot smokers may have a lower risk of obesity than those who don’t use the drug, a new study finds

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The results show the prevalence of obesity is lower among people who frequently smoke pot compared with those who have never inhaled.

The researchers said they were surprised by their initial results, because they expected to find the opposite. So they examined a second sample of people, and found exactly the same result. Together, the two samples studied more than 50,000 people.

The reason behind the link is not clear. It could be that people who use cannabis also engage in other behaviors that lower their obesity risk. Or it may be that pot smokers exercise more or have a specific diet that keeps them thin, said study researcher Yann Le Strat, a psychiatrist at Louis Mourier Hospital in France.

“On a personal point of view, I would be surprised that cannabis use is associated with a higher rate of physical activity, but this cannot be ruled out,” Le Strat told MyHealthNewsDaily.

Another possibility is that components of cannabis may help people lose weight. If this turns out to be the case, researchers should investigate which components these might be and try to put them into drug form, Le Strat said.

Cannabis and obesity

Cannabis use is known to increase appetite. In studies, drugs have been developed to block a receptor in the brain that is activated by cannabis compounds (called the cannabinoid CB1 receptor) in the hope that the drugs would reduce hunger. However, very few studies have looked at the link between cannabis use and obesity.

Le Strat and colleagues examined data from two national surveys in the United States called the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) and the National Comorbidity Survey—Replication, involving about 41,600 and 9,100 people, respectively.

Between 4 and 7 percent of participants in these surveys reported using cannabis at least once in the last year.

Obesity was assessed using participants’ body mass index (BMI).

The survey showed that about 22 to 25 percent of people who don’t smoke pot were obese, while 16 to 17 percent of cannabis users were obese.

Obesity was less common among users who smoked pot more frequently. For instance, the NESARC survey showed about 14 percent of participants who used cannabis three days a week or more were obese, the researchers said. Between 0.7 and 1.8 percent of the sample smoked marijuana this frequently.

The participants reported their own BMI as well as cannabis use, so if they did not give accurate estimates of these measurements, the results could be skewed.

Don’t smoke pot

Regardless of the effect of cannabis on obesity, Le Strat said she does not recommend people smoke cannabis to lose weight. Cannabis has well-known physical and mental health consequences, including an increased risk of psychosis.

“As an addiction psychiatrist, I see every day people struggling with cannabis dependence. I would not recommend smoking cannabis for any reason,” Le Strat said.

The study was published Aug. 24 in the American Journal of Epidemiology. One of the authors of the study has submitted a patent application in Canada entitled ‘‘Use of Marijuana and Compounds Therein for Treating Obesity.”

Many thanks to Live Science

About Post Author

Bill Miller

A barnstormer from the backwoods of Missouri and damn proud of it.
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Diego
11 years ago

Its very simple,It speeds up your metabolism,so if you smoke weed every day like 2 or 3 times a day your metabolism is going to be fast and running so your going to eat some fruits some good chicken and meat,with some beans,Workout 5 times a week and smoke weed every day and eat healthy get you FIT ANS MONSTERRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Natalie
11 years ago

Pot helps me focus on tasks throughout the day. I have lost about 15 pounds in the last 9 months because I’ve been more focused on following a routine. I used to graze and eat all day in between chores and in order to procrastinate more important things. I just don’t focus on food until it’s mealtime with regular pot use. I also do less emotional eating with pot. For my body, emotional eating and eating for depression is way more dangerous than whipping up some quinoa and steamed veggies for my munchies.

However, pot is not all positive and I don’t recommend it as a diet plan because it is addictive, and I find that it can harm communication/being on the same page with others.

Morgan Williams
12 years ago

Holte has it right. The urge to eat is outmatched by the urge to vegetate. Unless one has a small refrigerator packed with microwave burritos right at hand…

12 years ago

Pot smokers do experience the “munchies” but do not have will to cook themselves a big slap up meal loaded with fat, so they could be munching high fiber snack bars or nuts and fruit. That’s the only way they could be staying thin, because pot smokers do like to eat.

Jess
Reply to  Holte Ender
12 years ago

That is why you have food on hand before you get to sparking up. Just in case.. you know, we get the munchies. I’ve heard this, not that I do it myself or anything 😉

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