[Eating habits and physical activity in hospital shift workers]

To assess the eating habits and physical activity of hospital shift workers.

A descriptive, cross-sectional study of 311 workers on the payroll in January 2007. It was conducted using a questionnaire using the variables of the National Health Questionnaire (Encuesta Nacional de Salud), which included food consumption, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity.

The overall percentage response was 35.5%. A total of 140 nurses (47%), 67 auxiliary nurses (22.5%) and 35 medical staff (11.7%). Their mean age was 39 years (SD=8), with the majority being females who lived with their partner (69.25%) and their children (64.8%). The mean number of children was 1. We did not find any significant differences on analysing any of the three variables studied (BMI, physical activity and food consumption) associated with shift-work. The BMI was 23.17 kg/m(2) (SD=3.4), with 2.4% under-weight, 74.6% normal, 19% overweight and 4% obese. The BMI of shift workers is similar to that recommended by the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity. A more healthy diet is observed in shift workers compared to a fixed shift, with the consumption of fruit, eggs, fish, cold meats, snacks and alcohol. The majority of workers (72.9%) carried out some type of physical activity and 27% were sedentary.

In this study, shift work did not negatively influence the BMI, eating habits or physical activity of the hospital workers.