The Effects of Shift Work on Body Weight change-a Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 263 - 275
• Main Authors: van Drongelen, Alwin, Boot, Cécile RL, Merkus, Suzanne L, Smid, Tjabe, van der Beek, Allard J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Helsinki Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01.07.2011; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; National Institute of Occupational Health; National Research Centre for the Working Environment; Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health; Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health; Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
• Subjects: Age; Biological and medical sciences; Body mass index; Body weight; Body Weight - physiology; body weight change; Body weight changes; Cohort Studies; cohort study; Exercise; Female; Gender; Humans; irregular working hour; Longitudinal Studies; longitudinal study; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Night work; Nurses; Obesity; Occupational exposure; Occupational medicine; Operating rooms; physical activity; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Review; Reviews; Shift work; Systematic review; Weight gain; Work Schedule Tolerance - physiology; working conditions; cohort studies; body weight changes; irregular working hours; Human; Body weight; Systematic review; Epidemiology; Weight gain; Shift work; Follow up study; Cohort study; Working time table; Occupational medicine; Public health
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3143

Objective This systematic review aims to summarize the available evidence to elucidate the effects of shift work, which includes night work, on body weight change. Methods A systematic search strategy using longitudinal studies was performed. Articles were included based on strict inclusion criteria; methodological quality was assessed by a standardized quality checklist. The results were summarized using a levels of evidence synthesis. Results The search strategy resulted in eight articles that met the inclusion criteria. Five of them were considered to be high- and three of them low-quality studies. Seven studies presented crude results for an association between shift work exposure and change in body weight: five high- and two low-quality studies. There was strong evidence for a crude relationship between shift work and body weight increase. Five studies presented weight-related outcomes adjusted for potentially relevant confounders (age, gender, bodyweight at baseline, and physical activity). Two studies found a significant difference between groups in the same direction. Consequently, the evidence for a confounders-adjusted relationship between shift work exposure and body weight was considered to be insufficient. Conclusions Strong evidence for a crude association between shift work exposure and body weight increase was found. In order to further clarify the underlying mechanisms, more and better high quality studies about this subject are necessary.