The effect of work shift on daily activity behaviours and dietary pattern in crane operators

Shift work is a well-known risk factor for several non-communicable diseases. However, little is known about how shift work affects daily activity behaviours and dietary pattern. The aim of this study was to test the effect of work shift on time spent sleeping, in sedentary behaviour and physical activity and on dietary pattern. Our results show that specific work shift affects daily activity behaviours and dietary pattern. The most favourable behaviours, with the lowest sedentary time and the highest sleep time, were found in the afternoon shift group. This relationship is in line with previous findings that sleep restriction leads to more sedentary behaviour. Reviewing food diaries revealed less healthy dietary pattern in the morning group, compared to the others. Shift workers should receive additional attention in healthy lifestyle promotion activities.