Abstract
BackgroundAmong health care personnel working regular hours or rotating shifts can affect parameters of general health and nutrition. We have investigated physical activity, sleep quality, metabolic activity and stress levels in health care workers from both groups.MethodsWe prospectively recruited 46 volunteer participants from the workforce of a University Medical Department of which 23 worked in rotating shifts (all nursing) and 21 non-shift regular hours (10 nursing, 13 clerical staff). All were investigated over 7 days by multisensory accelerometer (SenseWear Bodymedia® armband) and kept a detailed food diary. Physical activity and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured in metabolic equivalents of task (METs). Quality of sleep was assessed as Pittsburgh Sleeping Quality Index and stress load using the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress questionnaire (TICS).ResultsNo significant differences were found for overall physical activity, steps per minute, time of exceeding the 3 METs level or sleep quality. A significant difference for physical activity during working hours was found between shift-workers vs. non-shift-workers (p<0.01) and for shift-working nurses (median = 2.1 METs SE = 0.1) vs. non-shift-working clerical personnel (median = 1.5 METs SE = 0.07, p<0.05). Non-shift-working nurses had a significantly lower REE than the other groups (p<0.05). The proportion of fat in the diet was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the office worker group (median = 42% SE = 1.2) whereas shift-working nurses consumed significantly more carbohydrates (median = 46% SE = 1.4) than clerical staff (median = 41% SE = 1.7). Stress assessment by TICS confirmed a significantly higher level of social overload in the shift working group (p<0.05).ConclusionIn this prospective cohort study shift-working had no influence on overall physical activity. Lower physical activity during working hours appears to be compensated for during off-hours. Differences in nutritional habits and stress load warrant larger scale trials to determine the effect on implicit health-associated conditions.
Highlights
The effects on health in individuals being on different working schedules are a widely discussed topic and cover metabolic syndrome and its risk factors like obesity [1]
No significant differences were found for overall physical activity, steps per minute, time of exceeding the 3 metabolic equivalents of task (MET) level or sleep quality
A significant difference for physical activity during working hours was found between shift-workers vs. non-shift-workers (p
Summary
The effects on health in individuals being on different working schedules (daytime, night-time or rotating) are a widely discussed topic and cover metabolic syndrome and its risk factors like obesity [1]. In a generic large scaled study Japanese shift-workers were found to have a higher prevalence of gastric ulcera day time workers (2.38 vs 1.03%) [6]. A statistical analysis of a large Scandinavian working cohort comparing day-time workers and shift workers showed a. Significantly elevated body-mass-index (BMI) >30 kgÁm-2 for female workers of all age groups and for male workers in the third, fourth and fifth decade of life. Elevated triglyceride levels above 1.7% were observed for female shift workers in their fourth and sixth decade of life [4]. Among health care personnel working regular hours or rotating shifts can affect parameters of general health and nutrition. We have investigated physical activity, sleep quality, metabolic activity and stress levels in health care workers from both groups
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