Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The twenty-four hour nature of healthcare demands many nurses and midwives work in shifts. However night work shift is associated with adverse health outcomes like higher risks of obesity; and an unhealthy diet may be a contributing factor.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study, carried out for one month, about midwives in delivery room in five university hospitals in Tunis. For this population there is no worker on the day but rather two working modes: 12 hours and 24 hours. We included 50 midwives divided in two equal groups G12h and G24h. Anthropometric parameters and dietary intake was assessed in the two groups. The aim was to investigate the impact of shift work on anthropometric parameters and to compare the feeding behavior in the both groups, and this during the day of the night work (D 0), the day before (D−1) and the day after day care (D+1) as well as the anthropometric profile of the participants in each group. Data were analyzed with SPSS20.0 software.

Results: The total energy intake was higher than the recommendations in the majority of cases and this especially the day of the night work (86%) without significant difference between the two groups but with a significant correlation with the seniority in the post (P=0.001). Comparative anthropometric data before and after night work showed an increase in overweight of 33% (an equal distribution between the 2 groups G12 G24) and the appearance of an obesity in 24% of which 4% was classified stage III.

Conclusion: Food disruptions during night work, wich are a major issue regardless of mode of work, can be a factor of anthropometric changes and development of obesity in this population.