Metabolic disturbances in male workers with rotating three-shift work. Results of the WOLF study

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health 2003-07, Vol.76 (6), p.424-430
• Main Authors: KARLSSON, Berndt H, KNUTSSON, Anders K, LINDAHL, Bernt O, ALFREDSSON, Lars S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: abdominal; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Confidence intervals; Coronary Disease - complications; Coronary Disease - metabolism; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Economic factors; Ergonomics. Workplace layout; Ergonomics. Workplace layout. Occupational psychology; Humans; job strain; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; metabolic factors; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Occupational Diseases - complications; Occupational Diseases - metabolism; Occupational health; Occupational medicine; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Factors; Shift work; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomics; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; Work Schedule Tolerance - physiology
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-003-0440-y

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between important metabolic risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes in shift workers and day workers. Cross-sectional data from a sub-population in the WOLF study consisting of 665 day workers and 659 three-shift workers in two plants were analysed. A higher proportion of shift workers than day workers had high triglyceride levels (> or =1.7 mmol/l), low levels of HDL-cholesterol (0.9). The risk of low HDL-cholesterol was doubled in shift workers, (odds ratio (OR): 2.02, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.24-3.28) after being adjusted for age, socio-economic factors, physical activity, current smoking, social support and job strain. High levels of triglycerides were also significantly associated with shift work (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.08-1.83). The OR for abdominal obesity was 1.19, (95% CI: 0.92-1.56). The prevalence of hyperglycaemia (serum glucose > or =7.0 mmol/l) was similar in day and shift workers. No significant interaction was seen between shift work and abdominal obesity with regard to the associations with triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. We found a significant association between shift work and lipid disturbances (i.e. low HDL-cholesterol and high triglyceride levels). We did not find any association with hyperglycaemia.