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Night shift work, accelerated biological aging and reduced life expectancy: a prospective cohort study
Yangwei Cai1, Jingwei Gao1,2, Yixiu Xie1,2
1Department of Cardiology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
QJM : Monthly Journal of the Association of Physicians
|April 7, 2025
Summary
Night shift work accelerates biological aging and shortens life expectancy. Maintaining a healthy weight may help reduce these negative impacts of shift work.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Public Health
- Chronobiology and Occupational Health
Background:
- Aging is a natural process linked to disease and mortality.
- Night shift work is increasingly recognized for its adverse health consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between night shift work, biological aging, and life expectancy.
- To analyze data from the UK Biobank cohort.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 192,764 UK Biobank participants.
- Assessed biological aging using Klemera-Doubal method biological age (KDM-BA) and PhenoAge.
- Employed multiple linear regression and mediation analysis, considering Body Mass Index (BMI) as a mediator.
Main Results:
- Night shift workers exhibited accelerated biological aging (KDM-BA and PhenoAge) compared to day workers.
- Night shift work was associated with a reduction in life expectancy by 0.94 years at age 45.
- Increased frequency and duration of night shifts correlated with greater biological aging acceleration; BMI mediated 28.88%-42.76% of this effect.
Conclusions:
- Night shift work is demonstrably linked to accelerated biological aging and diminished life expectancy.
- Reducing night shift exposure and managing body weight are potential strategies to mitigate health risks.
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