Abstract
<p>Background. Rates of marijuana use in the United States are the highest recorded over the past decade. Little is known about its relationship with Metabolic Syndrome. The aim of this study were to: Therefore, the aims of this study were to: AIM 1: Estimate the prevalence of cardiometabolic disease risk factors and metabolic syndrome among a nationally representative sample of marijuana users in early adulthood (20-to-30 years), adulthood (31-to-44 years), and middle-aged adulthood (45-to-59 years) using a nationally representative sample. AIM 2: Describe the relationship between marijuana use and metabolic syndrome at each stage of adulthood using a nationally representative sample. AIM 3: Assess possible dose-response relationships of marijuana use and individual cardiometabolic disease risk factors as well as metabolic syndrome at each state of adulthood using a nationally representative sample. Methods. An analysis of 20-to-59-year olds (N=8,478) from the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys was conducted. Stages of adulthood was a focus of the current study; therefore, age categories were created to reflect emerging adulthood, adulthood, middle adulthood based on adaptation of the Life Course Framework. Marijuana use was categorized as: never used, past use (used previously but not within last 30-days), and current use (> 1 day in last 30-days). Logistic regression analyses assessed relationships between marijuana use and metabolic syndrome (> 3 of the following: abnormal fasting glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference). Results. About fourteen percent (13.8%) of current marijuana users and 17.5% of past marijuana users presented with metabolic syndrome compared to 19.5% of never users (p=0.0003 and p=0.03, respectively). Current marijuana users had lower odds of presenting with metabolic syndrome than never users (AOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.47-1.00, p=0.05). Age was significant in the relationship between both past and current marijuana users and metabolic syndrome. Emerging adult current marijuana users had 0.46 the odds of never users to present with metabolic syndrome. Middle-aged current marijuana users had half the odds of presenting with metabolic syndrome than middle-aged never users (AOR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.25-0.97). Middle-aged past marijuana users had 0.61 the odds to present with metabolic syndrome than never users (AOR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.40-0.91). Conclusions. There is a significant relationship between marijuana use and metabolic syndrome in United States adults. Future studies should examine the biological pathways of this relationship.</p>