Abstract

Aim of Study: To investigate the relationship between shift work status, eating habits, and body mass index among nurses.

Methods: This study followed a cross-sectional research design. It included all nurses with at least one year of experience in the nursing field, at all main governmental healthcare facilities in Abha City, Saudi Arabia. Eligible nurses were invited via e-mail to respond to a self-administered questionnaire in the English Language, which was generated using an online survey system (Google Form). The questionnaire consisted of an interface and three parts: sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and a validated food frequency questionnaire.

Results: The total number of participants was 403. The age of most participants (78.7%) was 30-40 years. They were mostly females (82.1%), Saudis (65%), and married (56.6%). Almost half of the participants (47.1%) had rotating work shifts, while 52.9% of them reported that they had fixed day work shifts. About one-third of nurses (32.5%) were overweight, while obesity and underweight were prevalent among 24.6%, and 3% of them, respectively. Chicken kabsa was the most commonly consumed type of meat (82.6%), while sausages were the least (18.1%). Biryani or red rice was the most commonly consumed type of bread and cereals food category (93.1%), while the least was maasoub (banana bread) (34%). Boiled egg sandwiches were the most commonly consumed (77.9%), while chicken sandwiches were the least (34.7%). White cheese was the most commonly consumed of dairy products (72.2%), while fat-free labneh was the least consumed (26.3%). Nuts were most commonly consumed in the sweets and snacks category (75.4%), while ice cream was the least (48.9%). Red tea was the most commonly consumed drink (85.4%), while caffeine-free coffee was the least consumed (34.2%). Dates were the most commonly consumed fruits (92.6%), while dried fruits were the least (41.9%). The green salad was the most commonly consumed type of vegetable (91.3%), while the mushroom was the least (30%). The prevalence of obesity among participants with rotating work shifts was significantly higher than those in the fixed-day work shift (31.6% and 18.3%, respectively, p=0.001). Moreover, means of consumed food categories were higher among participants with rotating work shifts than those with fixed days’ work shifts. Significant differences were observed regarding participants’ consumption of meat and fish (p=0.035), bread and cereals (p=0.044), and sandwiches and burgers (p=0.039).

Conclusions: Prevalence rates of obesity and overweight are high among nurses. Rotating work shift nurses have poor eating habits, which might lead to an imbalance in their diet. They consumed more food categories with high energy values than those with fixed day shifts. Moreover, rotating work shift nurses tend to consume more snacks than complete meals.

Key Words: Nurses, Shift work, Eating habits, Body mass index, Saudi Arabia