Group-based healthy lifestyle workplace interventions for shift workers: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Shift work is linked to chronic diseases and unhealthy lifestyles.
• Workplaces offer opportunities for promoting behavior change among employees.
• Shift workers require tailored interventions due to their unique schedules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify adaptations and components of group-based workplace interventions for shift workers.
• To assess the impact of these interventions on weight, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and healthy eating.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies from multiple databases (Scopus, Web of Knowledge, EBSCO, Ovid).
• Independent researchers performed study selection, quality appraisal, and data extraction.
• Included 22 studies on group-based workplace interventions for shift workers.

Main Results:

• Effective adaptations included flexible delivery times and paid employee time.
• Intervention components comprised group activities, goal setting, self-monitoring, and incentives.
• Moderate evidence supports effectiveness for weight and physical activity; insufficient for healthy eating.
• No interventions targeting sedentary behavior in shift workers were identified.

Conclusions:

• Group-based workplace interventions effectively support weight loss and increased physical activity in shift workers.
• Further research is necessary to develop interventions for healthy eating and sedentary behavior modification.
• Findings provide guidance for organizational adaptations to enhance lifestyle intervention accessibility for shift workers.