Rotating shift work and the metabolic syndrome: a prospective study.
D De Bacquer1, M Van Risseghem, E Clays
1Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Belgium. dirk.debacquer@ugent.be
International Journal of Epidemiology
|January 9, 2009
Summary
Rotating shift work significantly increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS). This occupational hazard impacts MetS incidence and its individual components over time.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Shift work is linked to elevated cardiovascular risk.
- The association between rotating shift work and metabolic syndrome (MetS) requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between rotating shift work and the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Main Methods:
- Population-based prospective study involving 1529 employees.
- Follow-up period of 6.6 years to observe MetS onset.
- Analysis of MetS incidence and its components in shift workers versus day workers.
Main Results:
- Rotating shift workers had a higher MetS incidence rate (60.6 per 1000 person-years) compared to day workers (37.2 per 1000 person-years).
- An odds ratio of 1.77 (95% CI: 1.34-2.32) indicated a significantly increased risk for MetS in shift workers.
- Risk increased with accumulated years of shift work, affecting both MetS as a cluster and its individual components.
Conclusions:
- Prospective evidence confirms that rotating shift work elevates the risk of developing MetS.
- The findings highlight the long-term health implications of shift work on metabolic health.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...
01:19Regulation of Metabolism
Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...