Persons working rotating shifts are more likely to be frail compared to those who worked 9 to 5 routine, according to a study of nearly 48,000 participants middle-age and older adults from York University, Canada published in the May 2023 issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.¹

A total of 47,740 participants doing shift work in the age group 45-85 years from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) were included in the present trial. The association between frailty and shift work was examined over a follow-up period of 3 years. Fifty-two factors were assessed including osteoarthritis, depression, history of heart attack and mobility issues. Persons who had a minimum of 5 factors were considered to have mild frailty, while those who had a minimum of 11 factors were considered as “very frail”.

Results showed that those who were engaged in shift work were found to be frail compared to participants who only worked during the day. Mild frailty was detected in one in four subjects, while 7% were very frail. Women who had done shift work for a long period of time compared to those who worked only daytime were more likely to be frail; 31% were mildly frail and nearly 11% were very frail. However, this did not translate into higher mortality for women, noted the authors.

Shift workers have been found to be at high risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes. This study has for the first time demonstrated the association between shift work and frailty among middle-age and older adults. The authors however have advocated further studies to validate these findings. Nevertheless, shift workers, especially women, should be counselled about the importance of eating healthy and incorporating regular physical activity in their daily routine.

Reference

1. Khan D, et al. The association between shift work exposure and frailty among middle-aged and older adults: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). J Occup Environ Med. 2023 Mar 10. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002806.