Exposure to Shift Work as a Risk Factor for Diabetes: Workplace Study
Summary
This cross-sectional survey of 1,111 retired U.S. adults (age 65+) examined whether years of shift work were linked to diabetes later in life. Participants reported their lifetime shift work exposure and whether they had diabetes requiring medication. Compared to those who never worked shifts, people with any history of shift work had about 1.5–2 times higher odds of reporting diabetes, even after adjusting for gender and body mass index. Shift work exposure was also associated with higher BMI.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
This study suggests that the impact of shift work on health can last well beyond a person’s working years. People who spent time on night or rotating shifts were more likely to report diabetes decades later. For current night-shift workers, that means protecting sleep and monitoring blood sugar are especially important. For employers, it highlights the need to consider long-term metabolic health risks when designing schedules.
Notes
Early occupational diabetes signal.