Long Working Hours and Dyslipidemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the association between long working hours and dyslipidemia risk, as well as changes in blood lipid levels, through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. Studies were identified through PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, with data published until October 2024. Observational and interventional studies examining the relationship between long working hours and dyslipidemia or lipid profiles were included. Dyslipidemia was defined based on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), or total cholesterol levels. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using fixed-effects models and pooled unstandardized mean differences in the lipid levels were calculated using random-effects models, with subgroup analyses conducted to assess the effects of study design, lipid profiles, and exposure definitions.

A total of 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. The resuls of meta-analysis showed that long working hours are associated with a significant 10% increase in dyslipidemia risk (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.17). Subgroup analyses revealed that the association was stronger in cohort studies (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05-1.20) and among individuals with high LDL-C levels (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01-1.67). Differences in HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, and total cholesterol were observed but were not statistically significant.

Long working hours are modestly associated with an increased risk of dyslipidemia. These findings provide evidence for developing workplace-based dyslipidemia prevention programs.