A large long-term study suggests that what shift workers eat, especially how much fiber they consume, could meaningfully influence their risk of coronary heart disease, offering a potential dietary strategy to counter the cardiovascular strain of working through the night.
Study: Night shift work, dietary patterns, and coronary heart disease. Image credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com
CHD risk is higher among shift workers than among daytime workers. A recent paper in the journal European Journal of Epidemiology examines this difference in association with fiber intake and meat avoidance to identify a possible mediatory role.
Why shift workers face higher CHD risk
Night shift work is essential in multiple occupations, including firefighting, healthcare, and law enforcement. However, it interrupts…