Rotating Shifts Might Give You Type 2 Diabetes

Working in shifts can give rise to type 2 diabetes, a new research shows. The study also says that men might be the common victim of the disease.

Previous studies have shown that working in rotating shifts is associated with health problems such as digestive disorders, certain cancers, and cardiovascular disease.

For the researchers, the authors examined 12 international studies out of a potential total of 448 involving more than 226,500 participants. The researchers noted that 14,600 of them were diagnosed with diabetes.

The team found that working in rotating shifts increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 9 percent. Moreover, the risk worsened by 37 percent in men, the study authors wrote in a press release.

The experts noted that more research is required to understand the effects of work shifts on gender. 

The reasons behind the connection were not clear. Researchers said that those working in rotating shifts needs to take care and look at the possible health consequences of their working schedule.

Researchers explained that the daytime levels of the male hormone testosterone are controlled by the internal body clock. This might lead to repeated disruption.

The team said that rotating shifts, in which people work different parts of the 24 hour cycle on a regular basis, rather than in a fixed pattern, had highest chances of developing the type 2 diabetes: 42 percent.

Working in shifts makes it difficult for people to adjust to a regular sleep-wake cycle. Past studies have suggested that lack of sleep, or poor quality sleep, may worsen insulin resistance.

The research was published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.