Sexual minority men who used marijuana had 2-3 times higher odds of engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors (fasting, vomiting, diet pills) and muscle-enhancing behaviors (steroids, supplements) compared to non-users.
LGBTQ+ health providers, eating disorder specialists, substance use counselors, and public health researchers addressing health disparities.
What the researchers found
Marijuana users had significantly greater odds of all seven body image-related risk behaviors, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.88 (fasting) to 3.12 (diet pill use), including vomiting (AOR=2.61), laxative use (AOR=2.23), protein powder (AOR=2.60), and anabolic steroids (AOR=2.62).
Why it matters
Sexual minority men already face elevated eating disorder risk, and this study reveals that marijuana use — often perceived as harmless — is associated with significantly higher rates of dangerous body image behaviors in this population.
The numbers in context
AORs: fasting 1.88, vomiting 2.61, laxatives 2.23, diet pills 3.12, supplements 2.60, protein powder 2.60, steroids 2.62; all p<0.001
How the study worked
Secondary analysis of the Men's Body Project cross-sectional study examining associations between marijuana use and seven weight control/muscle-enhancing behaviors among sexual minority men using logistic regression.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine causality; marijuana may be used to cope with existing body image distress; self-report measures; sample composition details limited; no dose-response analysis; potential confounders not fully addressed.
How to read the evidence
Cross-sectional analysis from a focused population study provides important associational evidence, but cannot determine whether marijuana drives these behaviors or is a co-occurring coping mechanism.
When this study was published
Published 2026; data from the Men's Body Project.
The bigger picture
The intersection of cannabis use, body image disorders, and LGBTQ+ health reveals a clustering of risk factors that current substance use and mental health programs may not adequately address together.
Questions still open
- Does marijuana use drive body image behaviors or do both stem from shared underlying distress? Would LGBTQ+-targeted interventions addressing both substance use and body image be more effective? Does cannabis affect appetite in ways that interact with disordered eating?
Common questions
Is marijuana linked to eating disorders?
Why focus on sexual minority men specifically?
Read the original research
Marijuana use and its association with unhealthy weight control and muscle-enhancing behaviors among sexual minority men in the United States: a cross-sectional analysis.
Journal of cannabis research
Citation
Ibeh, Chiamaka; Zhao, Yunan; Tran, Alvin. (2026). Marijuana use and its association with unhealthy weight control and muscle-enhancing behaviors among sexual minority men in the United States: a cross-sectional analysis.. Journal of cannabis research. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-026-00398-9