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Night work and BMI: is it related to on-shift napping?
Aline Silva-Costa1, Rosane Härter Griep1, Lúcia Rotenberg1
1Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Educação em Ambiente e Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Revista De Saude Publica
|November 23, 2017
Summary
On-shift napping may help night workers manage weight gain. Napping during night shifts appears to mitigate the association between night work and increased body mass index (BMI) in nursing professionals.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Sleep Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Night work is prevalent and associated with health risks, including weight gain.
- On-shift napping is recognized for improving alertness and circadian rhythm synchronization in night workers.
- Limited research exists on the direct health benefits of on-shift napping, particularly concerning weight management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of on-shift napping in the relationship between night work and Body Mass Index (BMI).
- To assess whether napping influences the association between cumulative night work exposure and BMI in nursing professionals.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 409 night-shift nursing professionals.
- Data collected on napping habits, number of working nights, years of night work exposure, and BMI.
- Statistical analyses were performed to examine associations between night work, napping, and BMI.
Main Results:
- Increased BMI levels were significantly associated with a higher number of working nights and longer years of night work exposure among non-nappers.
- This association between night work exposure and increased BMI was not observed in the group of nappers.
- On-shift napping showed a potential protective effect against weight gain related to night work.
Conclusions:
- On-shift napping may be a beneficial strategy for mitigating weight gain associated with night shift work in nursing professionals.
- Findings support the consideration of on-shift napping regulations within occupational health policies for night workers.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these benefits and explore underlying mechanisms.
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