Effects of Maternal Nightshift Work on Evening Energy Intake, Diet Quality and Meal Timing in the Family: An Observational Study.

Alan Flanagan,Bruce A Griffin,Elizabeth Lowson,Debra J Skene

doi:10.3390/nursrep11040077

Abstract

The percentage of women working regular nightshift work has increased in the past decade. While nightshift work has the potential to exert adverse effects on dietary habits, little is known about the impact of a parent working nightshifts on dietary habits in the family. We analysed energy intake, meal timing, and diet quality among dependent children and male partners of 20 female UK National Health Service (NHS) nurses working rotational nightshifts. Comparing nightshift against non-nightshift conditions, we hypothesised that maternal nightshift work would affect the evening energy intake, diet quality and time of eating of dependent children and adult partners. Primary outcomes were absolute energy intake and the proportion of daily energy intake consumed in the evening (16:00–23:59 h). Our results show that in pre-teen children aged 8–12 years (n = 13, mean ± SD, 9.9 ± 1.6 yrs; 9 males), the proportion of total daily energy intake consumed during periods of nightshift work was significantly greater compared to periods of non-nightshifts (45.7% ± 8.8% vs. 39.7% ± 7.0%, mean ± SD, p = 0.012). There was no effect of nightshift work on dietary habits in teenage children or partners. The finding of a greater proportion of daily energy consumed in the evening period in pre-teen children is noteworthy, as it suggests that pre-teen children more dependent than older teenage children may be more vulnerable to disruptions to dietary patterns associated with maternal nightshift work.

Highlights

IntroductionLittle is known about the impact of nightshift work within a family unit of a parent working nightshifts on meal timing and dietary intake in dependent children and partners
The present study investigated the impact of nightshift work on evening energy intake, meal timing, and overall diet quality, in dependent children and partners of nurses’ working rotational nightshifts
The analysis consisted of 32 dependent children in total, including 19 teenage children

Summary

Introduction

Little is known about the impact of nightshift work within a family unit of a parent working nightshifts on meal timing and dietary intake in dependent children and partners. Women of young children remain likely to have a primary role in food preparation within a household [4]. While there is evidence that more strict divisions of gendered household roles have declined over recent decades, in relation to diet and nutrition women remain more likely to have primary responsibility for household meal planning, food preparation, and food shopping [5]. The potential implications of this pattern of employment for within-home dietary intake warrant investigation, with regard to previous research demonstrating the impact of shift work on participation in social and family life, for example missed social gatherings, recreational activities, and children’s events [6]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion