Night shifts increase chance of obesity

A recent meta-analysis has found that night shift work is associated with a 29% increased risk of overweight and obesity. The analysis itself involved 28 studies and has been published in Obesity Reviews. It recommended that people should modify working schedules as much as possible to avoid prolonged and permanent night shift work. The authors have also suggested that the risk of overweight is increased due to the disruption of the body’s natural cycles (known as circadian rhythms), for example, melatonin plays a key role in synchronising your internal clock. It also regulates the release of various hormones that are metabolically active and therefore influence your weight. Circadian disruption itself is a consequence of exposure to light at night, which can suppress the amount of melatonin that you produce.

It was also highlighted in the study that night shift workers had a higher frequency of developing abdominal obesity than other obesity types. The authors are hoping to carry out more accurate and detailed measurement on shift work patterns in the future.