Obesity and shift work: chronobiological aspects

• Published in: Nutrition research reviews Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 155 - 168
• Main Authors: Antunes, L. C., Levandovski, R., Dantas, G., Caumo, W., Hidalgo, M. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.06.2010
• Subjects: Anthropometry; Biological and medical sciences; Biological clock; Blood Glucose - analysis; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Chronobiology Phenomena - physiology; Circadian rhythm; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Eating - physiology; Exercise; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - epidemiology; Insulin - blood; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolism; Obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - etiology; Overweight - epidemiology; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Factors; Shift work; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Work Schedule Tolerance - physiology; Working hours; Biological clock; Obesity; Shift work; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Nutrition disorder; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0954-4224; 1475-2700
• DOI: 10.1017/S0954422410000016

The present review has the objective of summarising chronobiological aspects of shift work and obesity. There was a systematic search in PubMed databases, using the following descriptors: shift work; obesity; biological clock. Shift work is extremely frequent in several services and industries, in order to systematise the needs for flexibility of the workforce, necessary to optimise productivity and business competitiveness. In developing countries, this population represents a considerable contingent workforce. Recently, studies showed that overweight and obesity are more prevalent in shift workers than day workers. In addition, the literature shows that shift workers seem to gain weight more often than those workers submitted to a usual work day. In conclusion, there is considerable epidemiological evidence that shift work is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes and CVD, perhaps as a result of physiological maladaptation to chronically sleeping and eating at abnormal circadian times. The impact of shift work on metabolism supports a possible pathway to the development of obesity and its co-morbities. The present review demonstrated the adverse cardiometabolic implications of circadian misalignment, as occurs chronically with shift workers.