Shift work is associated with an increased risk of developing various diseases. According to a Chinese meta-analysis published in "Occupational & Environmental Medicine", this also includes type 2 diabetes. The risk is greatest for men and people working on rotating shifts.
The analysis, conducted by researchers at the University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, included 12 international studies with more than 226,500 participants, 14,600 of which had diabetes.
In general, shift work was associated with a 9 percent increased risk of diabetes. Men demonstrated a 37 percent higher risk. This may be attributed to the daytime levels of testosterone which are controlled by the internal body clock, explained the physicians. Regular disruption of the internal clock may have a negative influence. According to studies, the male hormone is low, in particular in insulin resistance and diabetes.
However, the highest risk - up to 42 percent higher - was demonstrated in those who worked regularly on rotating shifts of the 24-hour cycle. Those affected are unable to develop a correct sleep-wake pattern, and lack of sleep as well as poor-quality sleep are linked to insulin resistance.
Other studies have associated shift work with larger appetites and weight gain. Both are also risk factors for diabetes. However, the authors emphasised that because the study was observational, no conclusions about direct cause and effect can be made.
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