Long working hours increase the risk of insufficient dietary diversity: Findings among online ride-hailing drivers

Dietary diversity is an important indicator of diet quality and nutritional adequacy. Long working hours may influence dietary behaviors, while previous evidences were limited, especially among new forms of employment workers. This study aimed to investigate the associations between long working hours and insufficient dietary diversity among online ride-hailing drivers in Beijing, China.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 668 ride-hailing drivers in Beijing from August to October 2024. Weekly working hours were categorized as ≤ 55 h/wk and >55 h/wk. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. And the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) was calculated based on the consumption of nine food groups, while DDS <5 was defined as insufficient dietary diversity. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) models and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between weekly working hours and insufficient DDS. Additionally, subgroup analysis was further used to identify high-risk groups.

77.8 % of participants worked more than 55 h/wk and 28.3 % of participants had insufficient dietary diversity. Less than 30 % of participants consumed dairy products, legumes, and fish. Participants working >55 h/wk had a significantly higher risk of insufficient DDS (adjusted OR: 2.29, 95 % CI: 1.38-3.79). Subgroup analysis indicated a stronger association among participants with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and unhealthy lifestyle factors.

Long working hours increased the risk of low dietary diversity among ride-hailing drivers, especially in socioeconomically and behaviorally vulnerable subgroups. These findings highlight the need for targeted nutritional and occupational health interventions in this high-risk population.