Cannabis Use Was Not Linked to More Sitting or Vigorous Activity in a National U.S. Study
A study of U.S. adults found no evidence that recent cannabis use was associated with more sedentary time or less moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The analysis did identify a small association with light physical activity, but the researchers said its practical significance remains unclear.
Published online in 2024 in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, the study analyzed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data collected from 2011 through 2014. NHANES is a long-running CDC health survey combining interviews, examinations and laboratory measurements.
The researchers examined 4,666 adults between 18 and 59 years old. Of those participants, 658—about 14%—reported using cannabis within the previous 30 days. Instead of relying only on participants’ estimates of their activity, the study used data from ActiGraph accelerometers worn by participants for at least four days.
After accounting for other factors, recent cannabis use was not associated with daily sedentary time. It was also not associated with the amount of time participants spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, such as brisk walking, running or other more demanding exercise. Participants who had recently used cannabis recorded about 4% more light physical activity than nonusers.
That increase was modest, and the study did not establish that cannabis caused people to move more. The research was cross-sectional, meaning cannabis use and activity were assessed in the same period rather than tracked over time. People who use cannabis may differ from nonusers in ways that influence activity, and the survey could not fully account for every possible factor.
The analysis also focused on whether participants had used cannabis in the previous 30 days. It did not determine how often they used it, which products or formulations they consumed, how much THC or CBD those products contained, or whether they used cannabis before or after exercise. The sample consisted of relatively young and generally healthier adults, so the findings may not apply to older adults or people using cannabis to manage chronic pain or other medical conditions.
The results therefore challenge a simple version of the stereotype that cannabis users are necessarily inactive, but they do not show that cannabis improves fitness, exercise performance or motivation. They also do not replace established physical-activity guidance. Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans continue to emphasize moving more and sitting less, with adults generally advised to get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week along with muscle-strengthening activity.
Further prospective research could clarify whether cannabis use affects activity over time and whether the relationship differs according to dose, product, reason for use or health status. For now, the study’s main finding is more limited: among adults represented in the 2011–2014 NHANES data, recent cannabis use was not linked to greater sitting or lower moderate-to-vigorous activity, while its association with slightly more light activity was small and of uncertain clinical importance.
