Food and lifestyle habits of nurses working night duty

Abstract

In 2000 the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare introduced the “Healthy Japan 21” policy (motion to national health development in the 21st century), which included a primary and a second prevention policy in regard to lifestyle related diseases. However, the first interim report stated among others an increase in the number of diabetes patients, an increase of obesity in men aged 20 to 60 years, and an increase of lack of vegetable intake. The influence of dietary habits on lifestyle related diseases is enormous. Dietary behavior is also easily affected by the external environment. Food intake habits especially are often unhealthy. For example too much food is consumed at one meal, food is not chewed enough, breakfast not taken at all but then meals eaten late at night. Especially obese people often show an unhealthy life pattern.

This study focuses on night shift nurses, whose occupation often forces dietary habit changes. Dietary habits of night duty nurses were investigated in regard to time of food intake, exercise habits, alcohol intake, as well as age and influences on the physical situation of the nurses. The influences in dietary habits and lifestyle pattern were especially remarkable among nurses in their 20s and their 50s.