Impacts of Poor Nutrition
Healthy from the Start Resources for Shiftworkers
Shiftworkers often have to eat at irregular hours and, due to limited food availability at these odd hours, are more likely to consume foods that don’t meet their nutrient requirements. Poor nutrition can lead to fatigue, obesity, chronic illnesses, and mental health problems, so looking after your nutrition can help you to feel energised and alert, and decrease your disease risk in the long-term.
Shiftwork significantly disrupts your daily routine, meaning you often eat at different times from day-to-day (8). Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing, as eating outside of standard waking hours can disrupt your body clock (read more about circadian disruption here). This disruption is linked with a range of chronic health conditions, and also impacts the hormones that signal how hungry and full you feel (9). On top of this, shiftwork is also linked with eating less nutritious foods, often because there’s less availability of these foods outside of daytime work hours, which can also contribute to poor health outcomes (10).
Short-term Impacts:
• In the short-term, poor nutrition can increase feelings of physical and mental fatigue, making you feel less energised, and even have poorer mood. It can also affect your ability to work productively and react quickly, something that many shiftwork jobs require (11).
• Eating large meals, particularly overnight, can leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued as well (11).
Long-term Impacts:
OBESITY
○ Shiftworkers are at an increased risk of becoming overweight and obese due circadian disruptions (12).
○ Eating ultra-processed or less nutritious foods also contributes to the higher rates of obesity amongst shiftworkers (13).
• Ultra-processed foods are those made mostly from substances extracted from other foods (e.g., mass-produced biscuits, chips, sausages, ice cream).
CHRONIC DISEASE
○ Type 2 diabetes is experienced by shiftworkers more often than people who work standard hours (14). Eating a nutritious diet, including low glycaemic index, high fibre foods is linked with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes (15).
○ Hypertension (high blood pressure) is experienced by shiftworkers more often than people who work standard hours (14). Eating foods low in salt and saturated fat, and consuming plenty of fruit, vegetables, and dairy can reduce the risk of hypertension (16).
Mental Health Impacts:
• Shiftworkers are more likely to experience mental health problems, including depressive symptoms. A diet higher in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, fish, and olive oil are all associated with fewer depressive symptoms (17).