Does the shift work of nurses influence their eating behaviors?

Introduction: Shift work is one of the key elements influencing the nutritional behaviors of health care workers. Nursing staff are particularly vulnerable to the destructive effects of poor nutrition. The aim of the study was to compare nutritional behaviors among nursing staff working different shift patterns. Materials: The research was conducted among 177 nurses. The study group consisted of 70 people working in a 1-shift system and 107 people working in a 2-shift system (day and night work). The average age of the surveyed people was 40 years. The study used the Questionnaire of Eating Behavior (QEB) as a basis to study eating behavior and opinions about food and nutrition. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the correlation between the indices of meal frequency in both groups. The results were recorded in Statistica 13 software. Statistical significance was assumed at p < 0.05. Results: The results obtained in the study indicate a more frequent occurrence of unhealthy nutritional practices among nursing staff working in a 2-shift system, compared to those working in a 1-shift system. Incorrect eating habits primarily include a lack of variety in the foods consumed and irregular mealtimes which are associated with snacking between meals during the day. The Mann-Whitney U test did not show statistical significance between the indices of meal frequency in the examined groups. Conclusions: There were no significant differences between the diets of nurses working in the 2-shift system and the 1-shift system. For both study groups, the intensity of eating characteristics regarding a healthy and unhealthy diet was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]