title: METABOLIC EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA USE AMONG BLACKS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased legalization of marijuana has resulted in renewed interest in its effects on body weight and cardiometabolic risk. Conflicting data exist regarding marijuana effects on body weight, waist circumference as well as lipid profiles, blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, there is a dearth of data available on this effect in the black population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the metabolic profile and cardiovascular risk factors as well as body weight and waist circumference among urban black marijuana users.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study design involving 100 patients seen in a Family Practice clinic at University hospital of Brooklyn, NY, USA, over a period of 3 months from January 2014 to March 2014. Participants were administered a questionnaire regarding marijuana use, and other associated behaviors. Socio-demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were collected. We report measures of central tendencies, and dispersion for continuous variables and the frequency of distribution for categorical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 100 patients surveyed, 57% were females. The mean (±SEM) age of the entire cohort was 46.3 years±1.5; range, 19-78 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 29.6 kg/m2±0.73; SBP=128.0 mmHg±1.69; DBP=76.1 mmHg±1.17. Current marijuana users had the lowest waist circumference compared to former or never users respectively (32.9±0.66 vs. 35.9±0.88 vs. 33.4±0.74), p<0.01. Diastolic blood pressure in mmHg was significantly higher among former marijuana users compared to current or never users, (80.0±2.1 vs. 73.3±2.3 vs. 73.4±1.6), p<0.01. Current marijuana users showed a tendency (not statistically significant) towards lower total cholesterol, Triglycerides (TG), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, body mass index (BMI) and systolic blood pressure, compared to former users or never users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current marijuana use is associated with significantly lower waist circumference, compared to former users and never users. Except for diastolic BP that was significantly lower among current users, other metabolic parameters showed tendency towards favorable profile. Further studies are needed to characterize the metabolic effects and to elucidate mechanisms of actions of marijuana in view of its rapid rate of utilization in the USA and around the world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Center for Healthful Behavior Change (CHBC), Division of Health and Behavior, New York, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Racine
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Center for Healthful Behavior Change (CHBC), Division of Health and Behavior, New York, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Center for Healthful Behavior Change (CHBC), Division of Health and Behavior, New York, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donat
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Ojike
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Necola
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yousef
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masters-Israilov
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jean-Louis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: McFarlane
keywords: Marijuana; black population; body weight; metabolic risk factors