History of Cannabis Use and Obesity Among U.S. Low-Income Veterans: Associations With Mental Health and Psychosocial Functioning.

This study examined the independent and joint associations of obesity and history of cannabis use with functioning, psychiatric, behavioral, trauma and homelessness-related outcomes among low-income U.S. veterans who participated in the National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences study. The analytic sample included 600 veterans who reported obesity and/or a history of cannabis use. Participants were categorized into Cannabis-only (38.1%), where cannabis use was assessed via the survey question asking whether participants ever used cannabis more than once to get high or alter their mood; Obesity-only (36.9%), where obesity was based on participants’ current BMI; and Cannabis+Obesity (25.0%) groups. The Cannabis+Obesity group showed poorer physical, social, and emotional functioning compared with the Obesity-only and Cannabis-only groups, whereas mental health scores did not differ from the Cannabis-only group. The odds of interpersonal trauma were higher in the Cannabis+Obesity group relative to the Obesity-only group. However, the Cannabis+Obesity and Cannabis-only groups were similar in psychiatric and trauma measures. The Cannabis+Obesity group had higher likelihood of incarceration compared to Obesity-only and lower odds of lifetime suicidal attempts compared to the Cannabis-only group. Housing instability was higher in the Cannabis+Obesity group, with greater odds of lifetime and current homelessness compared to the Obesity-only group, and higher odds of lifetime eviction and/or foreclosure compared to both the Obesity-only and Cannabis-only groups. The findings suggest distinct and compounded vulnerabilities among low-income veterans with current obesity and histories of cannabis use.