THE RELATIONSHIP OF EATING HABITS AND LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS TO STRESS LEVEL AMONG NIGHT SHIFT WORKERS

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THE RELATIONSHIP OF EATING HABITS AND LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS TO STRESS LEVEL AMONG NIGHT SHIFT WORKERS

Abstract:

This research investigates the intricate relationship between eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels among night shift workers. Night shift work presents unique challenges to individuals’ health and well-being, and understanding how dietary patterns and lifestyle choices influence stress is crucial for developing targeted interventions. Through surveys, dietary assessments, and stress level measurements, the study aims to unveil patterns, correlations, and potential mitigating factors. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on occupational health, offering insights that can inform workplace policies, support mechanisms, and individual coping strategies for night shift workers.

Keywords:

Night Shift Workers, Eating Habits, Lifestyle Behaviors, Stress Levels, Occupational Health, Workplace Wellness.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The modern workforce landscape has seen a significant rise in night shift work across various industries, including healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and hospitality. Night shift work, which involves working during the night hours, disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm and can lead to various physiological and psychological challenges for workers. One such challenge is increased stress levels, which can have detrimental effects on workers’ health, well-being, and job performance.

To serve the economic and societal demands of the 24/7 economy, it is necessary for a large part of the workforce to work around the clock. Shift work that includes night work has been recognized as one of the most prevalent occupational risk factors, affecting about 15–20% of the workforce in Europe and the U.S. (Parent‐Thirion et al. 2016; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018). The high proportion of shift workers is a growing public health concern, because shift work increases the risk of chronic conditions, such as obesity and diabetes (Gan et al. 2015; Nea et al. 2015; Proper et al. 2016; van Drongelen et al. 2011). To develop preventive measures that mitigate the adverse health effects of shift work, it is necessary to understand the mediating pathways linking shift work to obesity and diabetes.

A higher prevalence of unhealthy behaviors has also been hypothesized as an underlying pathway of the adverse health effects of shift work, as shift work-induced circadian misalignment affects the timing of exercise, eating, and sleep (Nea et al. 2015; Souza et al. 2019; Wang et al. 2011). Previous systematic reviews concluded that shift workers have poorer sleep quality and dietary patterns compared to non-shift workers (Amani and Gill 2013; Linton et al. 2015; Souza et al. 2019), although this may differ by sex and educational level (Kelly et al. 2020). There are also indications from a few observational studies that shift workers are less physically active and that they smoke more often than non-shift workers (Loprinzi 2015; Nabe-Nielsen et al. 2011; Trinkoff and Storr 1998; van Amelsvoort et al. 2006; Vandelanotte et al. 2015). One study found that middle-aged shift workers were in particular less physically active (Kelly et al. 2020).

In today’s fast-paced world, the prevalence of night shift work has become increasingly common across various industries, ranging from healthcare to manufacturing and beyond. While these unconventional work schedules offer flexibility and operational efficiency, they often come at a cost to workers’ well-being, particularly in terms of their eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels.

The relationship between night shift work and health outcomes has long been a subject of interest among researchers and healthcare professionals. However, one aspect that remains relatively underexplored is the intricate interplay between eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels among night shift workers. Understanding this relationship is crucial, as it can shed light on potential avenues for intervention and support to mitigate the negative impact of night shift work on workers’ health and well-being.

Eating habits, influenced by the irregular timing of meals and availability of food options during night shifts, play a significant role in the overall health outcomes of night shift workers. Additionally, lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity, sleep patterns, and coping mechanisms for stress can further exacerbate or alleviate the stress experienced by night shift workers.

Stress, in particular, is a pervasive issue among night shift workers, stemming from factors such as disrupted circadian rhythms, social isolation, and increased work demands. The relationship between stress and eating habits/lifestyle behaviors is bidirectional, with stress often leading to maladaptive eating behaviors and vice versa, creating a cycle that can perpetuate negative health outcomes.

Through comprehensive research, we aim to delve into the complex dynamics between eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels among night shift workers. By identifying patterns, risk factors, and potential interventions, we strive to provide valuable insights that can inform workplace policies, employee wellness programs, and individual strategies to promote better health and resilience among night shift workers in our increasingly 24/7 society.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Anxiety is a widespread phenomenon. For example, while data show that the lifetime prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is around 3.7%1, a review finds a lifetime prevalence of subthreshold GAD of around 12.4%2. A study of community-dwelling older adults (65+) found a month prevalence of 26.2% for all subthreshold manifestations of anxiety. While anxiety can be a mental health problem by itself, it is also connected to problematic eating-related health outcomes and behaviors. Anxiety has repeatedly been connected to obesity and to a variety of other eating disorders, i.e., anorexia nervosa bulimia nervosa and binge eating as well as to the sub-clinical forms of these disorders and weight concerns. In the light of the strong empirical connection between anxiety and eating-related health outcomes our study is interested in how far anxiety is related to specific, detrimental eating behaviors. We assume that these behaviors play a crucial role in connecting anxiety on the one side with obesity and eating disorders on the other side. Furthermore, anxiety-related eating behaviors could also contribute to the connection between anxiety and other widespread diseases like cardiovascular disorder and diabetes that is reflected in meta-analyses.

Identifying anxiety-related eating behaviors can contribute to the development of targeted interventions to combat obesity and other disorders and health problems in the population. There are already examples in the literature that connect anxiety with specific eating behaviors like selective eating in children, disordered eating behaviors in adolescents16, unhealthy eating in university students, and the increased consumption of saturated fats and added sugars18. If we also take into account the studies on eating behaviors in the context of eating disorders that we introduced above, it is clear that the focus of the literature is on inherently problematic—often highly specific—eating behaviors, and/ or young individuals. Since we are interested in a public health perspective and the broad applicability of our results, in our study, we want to shift focus to less clinical, broader eating behaviors and a more inclusive representation of the population. The three-factorial approach to eating behaviors was established in the 1980`s by Stunkard and Messick19 and has since then been applied around the globe and to a variety of research topics, from weight reduction and BMI to sleep and chrono type. It refers to the following three domains of eating behavior: Cognitive Restraint, i.e., the tendency of someone to restrict food consumption, a form of cognitive control that is associated with daily food intake; disinhibition, i.e., an overconsumption of food due to a variety of stimuli and a loss of control with regard to food intake; and Hunger, i.e., the susceptibility for internal or external hunger signs.

Night shift work is associated with irregular eating habits and lifestyle behaviors due to the disruption of the body’s internal clock. These changes may include altered meal times, increased consumption of unhealthy foods, decreased physical activity, and disrupted sleep patterns. Such factors have been linked to elevated stress levels among night shift workers. However, there is a gap in understanding the relationship between eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels specifically among night shift workers.

1.3 Research Aim and Objectives

The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship of eating habits and lifestyle behaviors to stress levels among night shift workers. The specific objectives include:

To examine the eating habits of night shift workers, including meal timing, dietary patterns, and nutritional intake.

To assess the lifestyle behaviors of night shift workers, including physical activity levels, sleep patterns, and substance use.

To explore the perceived stress levels among night shift workers and identify contributing factors.

To determine the relationship between eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels among night shift workers.

1.4 Significance of the Study

Understanding the relationship between eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels among night shift workers is crucial for several reasons:

It can inform workplace interventions and policies aimed at improving the health and well-being of night shift workers.

It may help identify potential risk factors for stress-related health conditions among this population.

It can contribute to the development of targeted interventions to mitigate stress and promote healthy behaviors among night shift workers.

It may provide insights into the broader implications of night shift work on public health and occupational health practices.

1.6 Research Hypothesis

H0: There is no relationship between eating habits and lifestyle behavior and stress level among shift workers

H1: There is a relationship between eating habits and lifestyle behavior and stress level among shift workers

H0: Eating habits and lifestyle behavior does not have a significant impact on stress level among shift workers

H1: Eating habits and lifestyle behavior have a significant impact on stress level among shift workers

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focuses specifically on night shift workers across various industries and aims to investigate their eating habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress levels. The research will involve data collection through surveys, interviews, and possibly physiological measurements to assess stress levels. The study will target night shift workers within a specific geographical area or organizational setting to ensure a manageable scope for data collection and analysis.

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