The impact of meal timing on cardiometabolic syndrome indicators in shift workers. (16th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Molzof, Hylton E.; Wirth, Michael D.; Burch, James B.; Shivappa, Nitin; Hebert, James R.; Johnson, Russell L.; Gamble, Karen L.
• Is Part Of: Chronobiology international. Volume 34:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 337
• Page End: 348
• Publication Date: 2017-03-16
• Subjects: Circadian misalignment -- dietary inflammatory index -- dietary patterns; Chronobiology -- Periodicals; Biological rhythms -- Periodicals; Circadian rhythms -- Periodicals; 571.77
• DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2016.1259242
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-0528

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aims of this study were to 1) compare the inflammatory potential of night- and day-shift nurses' diets with regard to time of day and work status and 2) explore how the timing of food intake during work and off-work is associated with cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) risk factors between these two groups. Female nurses (N = 17; 8 day-shift and 9 night-shift) reported food intake over 9 days. On a middle day off of work, metabolic parameters were measured after an overnight fast. Energy/macronutrient intake and inflammatory potential of dietary intake (as assessed via the Dietary Inflammatory Index TM ) were calculated for nurses' workdays, work nights, off-work days, and off-work nights. Work-night total food intake (grams) accounted for a significant amount of variance in CMS risk factors for night-shift nurses only. Increased total gram consumption during night-shift nurses' work nights was associated with increased lipid levels – independent of the macronutrient composition of the food consumed. Alternatively, for night-shift nurses, work-day intake of several food parameters accounted for a significant proportion of variance in HDL cholesterol levels, with higher intake associated with higher HDL levels. For both day- and night-shift nurses, food intake during the day was more pro-inflammatory regardless of shift type or work status. Our novel approach of combining time-of-day-specific and work-day-specific analyses of dietary inflammatory factors and macronutrient composition with measurement of CMS risk factors suggests a link between meal timing and cardiometabolic health for shift-working nurses.