How An Unhealthy Diet Makes Shift Work Even Riskier

By Sophie Bushwick
(Click here for the original article and podcast)

For shift workers, odd hours usually mean strange sleeping habits and unhealthy meals. And now an editorial in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine takes the position that unhealthy eating associated with unusual working hours could be considered a new form of occupational hazard. Because such eating is a risk factor for obesity and diabetes. [Poor Diet in Shift Workers: A New Occupational Health Hazard?]

More than 15 percent of workers in the United States are employed in shifts, with workers taking over for each other so that the establishment can stay open for up to 24 hours a day. Because some shifts take place at night, employees have their circadian rhythms disrupted, and thus their metabolisms.

Taking round the clock shifts also makes eating a good diet and getting sufficient exercise difficult. A recent study in the same journal found an increase in diabetes risk among nurses who performed shift work. [An Pan et al, Rotating Night Shift Work and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Two Prospective Cohort Studies in Women]

The editorial suggests not only employee incentives, but also legislation to make healthful diets easy and cheap. It concludes that treating poor eating among shift workers as an occupational hazard is consistent with the history of workplace safety rights.

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Comments

[profacey]

03:26 AM on 12/30/2011

I'm going on my fourth year working the graveyard shift and I will honestly admit that I have gained some pounds due to it. I have also lost those pounds though and I do not snack on unhealthy things while at work. I have a set "dinner" break at 5am and meanwhile I can snack on nuts or carrots. The real trick to working graveyards is switching your day to sleeping 6-8hrs during the day, having proper meal times and setting aside time to exercise. It's the same as what's expected for folks who work during the daytime.

[Phoebe917]

12:12 AM on 12/30/2011

this is so true. i was an ICU RN for decades. the last years were spent on dayshift only. our nightshift nurses were good nurses but they were sleep deprived and would eat just about anything that came by. us dayshift nurses would joke that if someone came through the unit with dog poop coated in chocolate, those nurses would buy it. they were chow hounds in a major way. of course, they made 20% more an hour for working nights, but the cost to them healthwise must have been horrible over the years. shift work is very, very hard on a person.

[Emm Snn]

10:48 AM on 12/29/2011

Diabetes is caused by stubborn insulin (Pets included) this is a major problem due to the food being damaged by the Governments chemicals such as High fructose Corn Syrup. These are legal poisons that make you fat.

1. If you cannot lose weight it is caused by stubborn insulin (regardless of if you have diabetes)

2. Diets like Weight Watchers do not reverse stubborn insulin. This information is hidden by the drug companies. As you can see here 4 million people dies this year from diabetes obviously something else is going on http://spirithappy.org/wp/2011/09/14/diabetes-now-kills-4-6-million-every-year-diabetic-overweight-or-thin-the-illness-is-taking-lives/

[IkeAGreen]

06:50 AM on 12/29/2011

People should never forget that real health depends how well you take care of yourself and not what health insurance you carry but I agree health insurance is important for every one. Search "Penny Medical" or online for dollar a day insurance plans.

[LoveBigBalls]

06:09 AM on 12/29/2011

I work nights and we snack on junk all night. It is a miracle we are not all overweight diabetics. There is something about the night shift that makes if feel as if all of these calories don't "count". I have a feeling it will catch up with us.

[Marty678]

05:57 AM on 12/29/2011

Everyone needs to know how important is to have a healthy nutrition and exercise. First of all we should do this for our health, and secondly to improve the way we look. My sister succeed to lose around 40 lbs in a short period of time with a healthy weight loss program from TIPSTODIET.COM. I'm so happy that she still maintain this weight even now, after almost one year.
This New Year can be the best reason for everyone to make changes in their life. Good Luck to all!