In a two decade long study, 177,184 women between the ages of 42 and 67 were followed as part of the Nurse’s Health Study.  One of the remarkable findings of the study was the increased likelihood of developing type-2 diabetes as the result of periodic night shift work.  Nurses who worked periodic night shifts for three years or less were 20% more likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who only worked days.   Those who worked periodic night shifts for at least 20 years were at even greater risk for developing type-2 diabetes at the rate of 60% more likely than those who only worked days.

Doctor Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health notes that although the increased risk is not huge, it is still substantial enough considering one-fifth of the workforce has some rotating night shift work.  The increased risk is not attributable solely to the hours you work but may result from the side affects that are associated with periodic night shift work.  Doctor Hu contends, “Irregular work hours tend to disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms (also known as the “body clock”), which play a critical role in maintaining healthy blood-sugar metabolism and energy balance.”  This internal clock influences our ability to metabolize certain foods at certain times.  Thus if you go on a late night raid of the refrigerator, the enzymes needed to turn high-fat foods into energy may not be alert enough to handle the barrage, and result in those calories ending up as fat rather than fuel.

David Earnest, Ph.D., states that, “In the past 25 years, we’ve focused a lot on lifestyle issues such as maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. But regardless of whether you’re a shift worker or not, that may not be enough to avoid these health issues.”  The study is not conclusive as to how much night shift work affects the risk of type-2 diabetes, but there is considerable evidence that periodic night shift work shows some increased risk of type-2 diabetes.  There are a combination of factors at play including family history, diet, weight, smoking, and exercise.  Now periodic night shift work may be another factor to add to that list.

 

 

Source:

Amanda Gardner, Night shift work may raise diabetes risk, https://www.cnn.com/2011/12/06/health/night-shifts-diabetes-link/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 (accessed 12/8/2011)

Nigh shift workers are at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes

In a two decade long study, 177,184 women between the ages of 42 and 67 were followed as part of the Nurse’s Health Study.  One of the remarkable findings of the study was the increased likelihood of developing type-2 diabetes as the result of periodic night shift work.  Nurses who worked periodic night shifts for three years or less were 20% more likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who only worked days.   Those who worked periodic night shifts for at least 20 years were at even greater risk for developing type-2 diabetes at the rate of 60% more likely than those who only worked days.

Doctor Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health notes that although the increased risk is not huge, it is still substantial enough considering one-fifth of the workforce has some rotating night shift work.  The increased risk is not attributable solely to the hours you work but may result from the side affects that are associated with periodic night shift work.  Doctor Hu contends, “Irregular work hours tend to disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms (also known as the “body clock”), which play a critical role in maintaining healthy blood-sugar metabolism and energy balance.”  This internal clock influences our ability to metabolize certain foods at certain times.  Thus if you go on a late night raid of the refrigerator, the enzymes needed to turn high-fat foods into energy may not be alert enough to handle the barrage, and result in those calories ending up as fat rather than fuel.

David Earnest, Ph.D., states that, “In the past 25 years, we’ve focused a lot on lifestyle issues such as maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. But regardless of whether you’re a shift worker or not, that may not be enough to avoid these health issues.”  The study is not conclusive as to how much night shift work affects the risk of type-2 diabetes, but there is considerable evidence that periodic night shift work shows some increased risk of type-2 diabetes.  There are a combination of factors at play including family history, diet, weight, smoking, and exercise.  Now periodic night shift work may be another factor to add to that list.

 

 

Source:

Amanda Gardner, Night shift work may raise diabetes risk, https://www.cnn.com/2011/12/06/health/night-shifts-diabetes-link/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 (accessed 12/8/2011)