Night shift work at specific age ranges and chronic disease risk factors

TLDR

The study investigated how night shift work history and the age at which it was performed relate to cancer and cardiovascular disease risk factors in 54,724 NHS II nurses. Researchers calculated age‑adjusted and socioeconomic status‑adjusted means and percentages of risk factors in 2009, then used multivariable‑adjusted logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for key risk factors, stratifying analyses by age groups 20–25, 26–35, 36–45, and 46+ years. Ever night shift workers had higher odds of obesity, greater caffeine and calorie intake, current smoking, and shorter sleep, with risk factor associations varying by age at shift work—night work before age 25 was linked to fewer risk factors, suggesting night shift work may worsen chronic disease risk profiles depending on age.

Abstract

<h3>Objectives</h3> We examined the association of night shift work history and age when night shift work was performed with cancer and cardiovascular disease risk factors among 54 724 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) II. <h3>Methods</h3> We calculated age-adjusted and socioeconomic status-adjusted means and percentages for cancer and cardiovascular risk factors in 2009 across categories of night shift work history. We used multivariable-adjusted logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for key risk factors among 54 724 participants (72% ever shift workers). We further examined these associations by age (20–25, 26–35, 36–45 and 46+ years) at which shift work was performed. <h3>Results</h3> Ever night shift workers had increased odds of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m²; OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.43); higher caffeine intake (≥131 mg/day; OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.22) and total calorie intake (≥1715 kcal/day; OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.13); current smoking (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.42); and shorter sleep durations (≤7 h of sleep/day; OR=1.19, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.24) compared to never night shift workers. These estimates varied depending on age at which night work was performed, with a suggestion that night shift work before age 25 was associated with fewer risk factors compared to night shift work at older ages. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Our results indicate that night shift work may contribute to an adverse chronic disease risk profile, and that risk factors may vary depending on the age at which night shift work was performed.