Nearly 15 million Americans work full-time on evening shifts, night shifts and on rotating shifts of various types, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Employees and freelancers working on the third shift, also known as the night shift or graveyard shift, are usually at work from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. As a night shift employee, you need to maintain a healthy diet, because research shows that night shift workers have more health problems than day shift workers, including serious weight gain.
Medical Risks
Prior to the 19th century, the few people who did work at night occupied specialized niches, including shepherds, soldiers guarding military camps and sailors working on the naval "graveyard watch." Large numbers of people began working on night shifts in the 19th century because new gas and electrical lighting allowed factories and offices to stay open at night. The expansion of working hours came at a high cost. Multiple studies of night shift workers have shown that they have higher rates of sleep problems, heart disease, breast cancer and obesity.
Eating Patterns
A 2008 survey of night workers' exercise and diet habits by scientists at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom found that night shift workers get less exercise, eat fewer meals and snack more than day shift workers. A 2010 overview of multiple studies of shift work and obesity done by researchers at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida found that night shift workers consume more junk food and foods high in sugar than day shift employees. Since obesity is a known trigger for heart disease and cancer, night shift workers should focus on maintaining a healthy weight.
Healthy Foods
Night shift workers should bring healthy brown bag meals and snacks from home instead of relying on vending machines, snack bars and fast food restaurants. The Canadian Health Network offers a comprehensive diet and lifestyle guide for night shift workers, "Shift Work and Healthy Eating." The Canadian Health Network suggests that night shift workers prepare meals that have more cereals, breads and whole grain products, as well as vegetables and fruits. Night shift workers who want to eat meat should eat lean meats and avoid meats and other foods prepared with lots of fat. Night shift workers should limit their intake of salt, alcohol and caffeine.
Meal Plans
The Canadian Health Network guide has ideas clearly intended for night shift workers who do not have time to prepare elaborate meals. Suggested foods include boiled eggs, trail mix, hummus with raw vegetables, low-fat meats such as chicken and turkey breast, peanut butter, cottage cheese, and vegetable and fruit juices.
If you want menus for specific meals and a meal schedule, the Public Health and Community Services Department of Hamilton, Canada has prepared a booklet, "Nutrition and Shiftwork," that offers a night shift meal schedule and lists appropriate foods to be eaten at each meal. The booklet also suggests healthy snacks, including bagels, carrot or celery sticks, and low-fat chocolate milk.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Work Schedules -- Shift Work and Long Work Hours
- Canadian Health Network: Shift Work and Healthy Eating
- "The History of Science and Technology"; Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans; 2004
- "Chronobiology International"; Obesity and High Blood Pressure of 12-hour Night Shift Female Clean-Room Workers; Jong-Dar Chen, et al.; January 2010
- "Sports Medicine"; Exercise, Energy Balance and the Shift Worker; Greg Atkinson, Ph.D., et al.; 2008
- National Cancer Institute: Obesity and Cancer -- Questions and Answers
- "The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice"; Obesity and Shift Work in the General Population; Robin Eberly, et al.; July 2010
- City of Hamilton, Canada Public Health and Community Services Department; Nutrition and Shiftwork; April 2004
- "Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology"; Shift Work and Pathological Conditions; Anke van Mark, M.D., et al.; December 2006
- American Heart Association: Obesity Information
