The Relationship between Dietary Intake, Obesity and Shift Working on Employees of Pasargad Petrochemical Company in Asaluyeh, Iran

Abstract

Background: Shift work in services and industry is increasing in developing countries, especially industrialized ones, due to the need for a flexible workforce and to achieve maximum efficiency. Shift working can cause problems for people's health and bodily functions. This study aims to determine the relationship between dietary intake, obesity, and shift working among employees of Pasargad Petrochemical Company.
 Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 119 employees within the age range of 25-60 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 25.67. Their food intakes were extracted using Food Frequency Questionnaires. Data analysis was performed through STATA data analysis software.
 Results: 119 male participants with a mean age of 33.62 ±7.12 year were included in the study, of whom 64.7% were non-shift workers and 35.3% were shift workers. The daily calorie intake of the participants was 2864.54 ± 1184.43 kcal. Although non-shift workers consumed a higher but insignificant amount of energy, no statistical differences were found in dietary intake between shift workers and non-shift workers (P<0.05). Furthermore, multiple linear regressions regarding shift work did not have a significant effect on BMI and waist circumference.
 Conclusion: Although no statistically significant relationship was found between food intake and shift work, it is suggested that future studies be conducted with a larger sample size because of the importance of shift work.