Comparison of adult shift and non-shift workers’ physical activity and sleep behaviours: cross-sectional analysis from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia (HILDA) cohort

• Published in: Journal of public health Vol. 31; no. 10; pp. 1621 - 1629
• Main Authors: Fenwick, Matthew J., Oftedal, Stina, Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy L., Duncan, Mitch J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavior; Cross-sectional studies; Epidemiology; Exercise; Family income; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Income; Insomnia; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Night; Original Article; Physical activity; Public Health; Sleep; Sleep disorders; Workers; Australia; Occupational health; Shiftwork; Population Health; Sleep; Physical activity; Health Behaviour
• ISSN: 2198-1833; 1613-2238
• DOI: 10.1007/s10389-022-01738-8

Aim This study compares the pattern of physical activity and sleep between shift and non-shift workers using a novel physical activity–sleep index. By drawing from a diverse occupational population, this research aims to reduce any occupational specific biases which are prevalent in shift-work research. Subject and methods Current data included 7607 workers (shift workers n = 832) from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia cohort study. The combined physical activity–sleep index comprised three physical activity components and three sleep health components: achieving moderate (1pt) or high (2pts) IPAQ classification; accruing ≥30% of physical activity as vigorous intensity (1pt); meeting sleep duration recommendations on a work night (1pt); and non-work night (1pt); and reporting no insomnia symptoms (1pt) (higher score = healthy behaviour, max. 6). Generalised linear modelling was used to compare behaviours of shift and non-shift workers. Results Findings showed shift workers reported significantly lower activity–sleep scores (3.59 vs 3.73, p < 0.001), lower sleep behaviour sub-score (2.01 vs. 2.22, p < 0.001) and were more likely to report insomnia symptoms ( p < 0.001) compared to non-shift workers. No difference was reported for overall physical activity (shift = 1.58 vs. non-shift = 1.51, p = 0.383). Conclusion When viewed in conjunction using the combined activity–sleep index, shift workers displayed significantly poorer combined behaviours when compared to non-shift workers.