Association of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cannabis Use: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cannabis use severely endangers human health, and identifying its associated risk or protective factors is of crucial importance.

The purpose of this study was to explore the association between different physical activities and cannabis use.

In this study, a total of 4,428 individuals was selected from the representative population aged 20-60 years in the National Health and Nutrition Survey of the United States from 2013 to 2018. Physical activity was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ); the drug use questionnaire (DUQ) was used to determine whether the sample had cannabis use at this stage. Binary logistic regression analysis was adopted as the statistical method to evaluate the associations between physical activities, sedentary behaviors, and cannabis use.

After adjusting for all covariates, work physical activity was positively associated with cannabis use (P < 0.001), with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.135 (95% CI: 0.999 - 1.289). Commuting physical activity also showed a positive association with cannabis use (P < 0.001), with an OR of 1.209 (95% CI: 1.048 - 1.395). When no covariates were adjusted for, recreation physical activity was negatively associated with cannabis use (P < 0.05), with an OR of 0.858 (95% CI: 0.762 - 0.967). Sedentary behavior, on the other hand, was positively associated with cannabis use (P < 0.001), with an OR of 1.365 (95% CI: 1.181 - 1.578).

Work physical activity, commuting physical activity, and extended sedentary behavior are correlated with an elevated risk of cannabis use, while recreational physical activity is linked to a decreased risk of cannabis use.