July 24, 2014

expert reaction to shift work and type 2 diabetes, as published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine

A study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine reported that shift work was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with men reported to be at heightened risk.

Prof Nick Wareham, Director of the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said:

“This new meta-analysis provides a useful summary across previously published studies of the magnitude of the link between shift working and type 2 diabetes. It suggests that there may be a moderately sized link, which is slightly stronger in men. The study can’t exclude the possibility that the results are explained by other risk factors for diabetes that are also linked to shift working. If it were shown that it is shift working itself that has a link to diabetes, then the key question would be to identify what interventions could be put in place to alleviate the risks in those who have to work shifts.”

* ‘Shift work and diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of observational studies’ by Yong Gan et al. was published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine  on Thursday 24 July 2014
 

 
Declared interests

None declared