Prolonged working on rotating night shifts puts women at an increased risk of suffering type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.
The authors studied the incidence of type 2 diabetes among female nurses working at least three nights and 19 days a month. They found a correlation between women working rotating night shifts and type 2 diabetes (as well as weight gain).It found the increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes was 20% for women working rotating night shifts for between three and nine years, 40% for those doing between 10 and 19 years and 58% for those doing it for over 20 years.
Previous studies have demonstrated a link between shift work and the incidence of cancer as well as cardiovascular disease.
The study is at: www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001141
Source: Labour Research magazine http://www.lrd.org.uk/ February 2012 issue
