A rotating work pattern of at least three night shifts a month may contribute to weight gain and thus the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women, according to a study by Harvard researchers.
Scientists at the Harvard School of Public He alth have published their research in the journal PLoS Medicine on the impact ofshift workon he alth. Research shows that a rotating work system, including at least three night shifts a month, may contribute to an increase inbody weightand the risk of developingdiabetestype 2 for women.
The development of diabetes is influenced by increasing body weight
The study group consisted of 117,000 American women aged 25-67 who participated in the Nurse's He alth Study series (96 percent of the group were white women). At the beginning of the study, about 60 percent of the respondents had worked more than one year in shifts.
The information on the nurses' work mode, he alth condition and diet were thoroughly analyzed. Based on the results of the analyzes, the researchers concluded that for nurses who worked shifts for 3-9 years, the risk of diabetes increased by 20 percent. At the same time, the risk was greater the longer the work in this mode lasted and in the case of women who worked in this way for 10-19 years, it increased by as much as 40 percent. The highest risk of diabetes occurred among nurses who had worked in the profession for over 20 years and increased by 58 percent. Increasing body weight was a factor that partially contributed to the increased risk of developing diabetes.
ImportantFurther surveys are planned among men of different ethnic groups. Scientists want to understand the mechanisms that determine this relationship. Previously, work was done on the relationship between shift work and sleep disorders, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, which are recognized risk factors for diabetes.