EFFECT OF SHIFT WORK ON WEIGHT GAIN AMONG HEALTH CARE WOKERS

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Shift work has become increasingly prevalent across various sectors, including healthcare sector. While essential for maintaining continuous patient care, shift work poses challenges to the health and well-being of healthcare workers, including an increased risk of weight gain and associated health complications. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of shift work on BMI among healthcare workers and to determine the difference in BMI between shift workers and non-shift workers in UBTH. METHODOLOGY: The study conducted at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in Southern Nigeria. A cross-sectional analytical design was employed to assess healthcare workers. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select participants from different professions. RESULT: Majority of the respondents had worked in the present facility for ≤ 10 years. More than half of the respondents (64.6%) engaged in shift work, with rotating shifts being common and nearly all respondents (93.4%) having experienced severe shift intensities. Shift workers exhibit higher BMI compared to non-shift workers with 65.2% of shift workers and 34.8% of non- shift workers with BMI within 25.0-29.9 kg/m2 (over weight) while 55.4% of shift workers and 44.6% of non- shift workers with BMI ≥ 30kg/m2 (obese). These findings emphasize the importance of supporting healthy lifestyle behaviors among shift worker to mitigate obesity-related health issues. CONCLUSION: Shift work was common among health workers with a substantial portion experiencing severe shift intensities. While most have normal BMI, shift workers tend to have higher BMI. Keywords: Weight gain, Shift Work, BMI, Nightshift Workers, Non-Nightshift workers.