Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore analyzed data on approximately 700 nurses with adverse work schedules and 1,000 nurses with favorable work schedules. The study focused on factors related to obesity in nurses with adverse work schedules, characterized by long hours, high work burden, required on-call/overtime and/or lack of rest.
Although more than half of nurses in each group were obese or overweight, risk factors for overweight or obesity differed between groups. In the group with adverse work schedules, nurses with obesity got less sleep, less restful sleep and less exercise. They were also more likely to care for children or dependents. In contrast, for nurses with favorable work schedules, obesity was linked to more unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and alcohol use; and more physical lifting of children or dependents. Factors reflecting job stress also affected obesity risk.
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