GLU24/7 study: cardiometabolic risk factors in night‑shift workers (protocol)
Summary
The GLU24/7 study is a 2-year prospective cohort following 60 industrial workers in Norway—half on rotating night shifts and half day workers. Data collection is staged: an initial 6-week observational phase with payroll-verified schedules, continuous glucose monitoring, food diaries, and sleep tracking, followed by baseline cardiovascular exams, and finally a repeat assessment two years later. Researchers will measure blood sugar variability alongside inflammation, lipid profiles, arterial stiffness, intima–media thickness, blood pressure, and VO₂max to see whether repeated circadian disruption from night work accelerates metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. The study is ongoing with no published results yet.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
This protocol moves beyond lab simulations by tracking workers in their real environments over years, not just days. By combining continuous glucose data with long-term heart and vessel health markers, the study could reveal whether repeated misalignment from rotating shifts causes lasting metabolic strain. For night-shift workers, the findings may shape practical recommendations on schedule design, recovery, and monitoring strategies to lower future risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Notes
Trial registry: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10297427