Measurement of, and Some Reasons for, Differences in Eating Habits Between Night and Day Workers

Abstract

A questionnaire was designed to assess the following: why working people chose to eat or not to eat at a particular time of day; the factors that influenced the type of food eaten; and subjective responses to the meal (hunger before, enjoyment during, satiety afterward). Self-assessments were done every 3h during a typical week containing work and rest days, by one group of 50 day workers and another group of 43 night workers. During the night work hours compared to rest days, night workers evidenced a significantly altered food intake, with a greater frequency of cold rather than hot food (p < 0.001). The type and frequency of meals were influenced significantly more (p < 0.05) by habit and time availability and less by appetite. This pattern continued into the hours immediately after the night shift had ended. In day workers food intake during work hours, compared to rest days, was also influenced significantly more often (p < 0.05) by time availability than hunger, but less so than with night workers. Moreover, day workers were less dependent than night workers upon snacks (p = 0.01), and any significant differences from rest days did not continue beyond work hours. Not only did night workers change their eating habits during work days more than did day workers but also they looked forward to their meals significantly less (p < 0.001) and felt more bloated after consuming them (p < 0.05), such effects being present to some extent during their rest days also. These findings have clear implications for measures designed to ease eating problems that are commonly problematic in night workers.

• Circadian rhythms
• Food intake
• Shift work
• Gastrointestinal disturbance