A cross-sectional analysis of the association between night-only or rotating shift work and overweight/obesity among female nurses and midwives.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the associations between shift work types and overweight/obesity among female nurses and midwives.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study. Measurement included exposure variables: rotating shift work and night-only shift work; outcome variables: overweight and obesity; and potential confounding and associated variables: modifiable lifestyle factors, general health status, menopausal status, and work pattern.


RESULTS
Among the 2086 participants, almost 60% were overweight/obese (31.7% overweight; 27.1% obese). After we adjusted the selected confounders, we found that rotating shift workers were 1.02 times more likely to be overweight/obese than day workers (P = 0.007; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.004 to 1.03; and P = 0.02; 95% CI: 1.004 to 1.04, respectively). Night-only shift work was found to be significantly associated with obesity only (P = 0.031; relative risk, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Rotating shift work was associated with both overweight and obesity; and night-only shift work was associated with obesity, not overweight.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. i.zhao@uq.edu.au
Isabella
I
Zhao
Fiona
F
Bogossian
Catherine
C
Turner
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D055815:Young Adult