Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence

X-S Wang; M E G Armstrong; B J Cairns; T J Key; R C Travis

doi:10.1093/occmed/kqr001

Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence

X-S Wang, M E G Armstrong, B J Cairns, T J Key, R C Travis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

516 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Shift work, including night work, has been hypothesized to increase the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Recent reviews of evidence relating to these hypotheses have focussed on specific diseases or potential mechanisms, but no general summary of the current data on shift work and chronic disease has been published.

METHODS: Systematic and critical reviews and recent original studies indexed in PubMed prior to 31 December 2009 were retrieved, aided by manual searches of reference lists. The main conclusions from reviews and principle results from recent studies are presented in text and tables.

RESULTS: Published evidence is suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse association between night work and breast cancer but limited and inconsistent for cancers at other sites and all cancers combined. Findings on shift work, in relation to risks of CVD, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are also suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse relationship.

CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity of study exposures and outcomes and emphasis on positive but non-significant results make it difficult to draw general conclusions. Further data are needed for additional disease endpoints and study populations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	78-89
Number of pages	12
Journal	Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)
Volume	61
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqr001
Publication status	Published - Mar 2011

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Adult
Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology
Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology
Chronic Disease
Circadian Rhythm
Colorectal Neoplasms/epidemiology
Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology
Female
Humans
Male
Meta-Analysis as Topic
Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology
Middle Aged
Neoplasms/epidemiology
Occupational Diseases/epidemiology
Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/statistics & numerical data
Prostatic Neoplasms/epidemiology
Review Literature as Topic
Risk Factors
Work Schedule Tolerance

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10.1093/occmed/kqr001

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title = "Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Shift work, including night work, has been hypothesized to increase the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Recent reviews of evidence relating to these hypotheses have focussed on specific diseases or potential mechanisms, but no general summary of the current data on shift work and chronic disease has been published.METHODS: Systematic and critical reviews and recent original studies indexed in PubMed prior to 31 December 2009 were retrieved, aided by manual searches of reference lists. The main conclusions from reviews and principle results from recent studies are presented in text and tables.RESULTS: Published evidence is suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse association between night work and breast cancer but limited and inconsistent for cancers at other sites and all cancers combined. Findings on shift work, in relation to risks of CVD, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are also suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse relationship.CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity of study exposures and outcomes and emphasis on positive but non-significant results make it difficult to draw general conclusions. Further data are needed for additional disease endpoints and study populations.",

keywords = "Adult, Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology, Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology, Chronic Disease, Circadian Rhythm, Colorectal Neoplasms/epidemiology, Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Meta-Analysis as Topic, Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology, Middle Aged, Neoplasms/epidemiology, Occupational Diseases/epidemiology, Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/statistics \& numerical data, Prostatic Neoplasms/epidemiology, Review Literature as Topic, Risk Factors, Work Schedule Tolerance",

author = "X-S Wang and Armstrong, \{M E G\} and Cairns, \{B J\} and Key, \{T J\} and Travis, \{R C\}",

year = "2011",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1093/occmed/kqr001",

language = "English",

volume = "61",

pages = "78--89",

journal = "Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)",

issn = "0962-7480",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Shift work and chronic disease

T2 - the epidemiological evidence

AU - Wang, X-S

AU - Armstrong, M E G

AU - Cairns, B J

AU - Key, T J

AU - Travis, R C

PY - 2011/3

Y1 - 2011/3

N2 - BACKGROUND: Shift work, including night work, has been hypothesized to increase the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Recent reviews of evidence relating to these hypotheses have focussed on specific diseases or potential mechanisms, but no general summary of the current data on shift work and chronic disease has been published.METHODS: Systematic and critical reviews and recent original studies indexed in PubMed prior to 31 December 2009 were retrieved, aided by manual searches of reference lists. The main conclusions from reviews and principle results from recent studies are presented in text and tables.RESULTS: Published evidence is suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse association between night work and breast cancer but limited and inconsistent for cancers at other sites and all cancers combined. Findings on shift work, in relation to risks of CVD, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are also suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse relationship.CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity of study exposures and outcomes and emphasis on positive but non-significant results make it difficult to draw general conclusions. Further data are needed for additional disease endpoints and study populations.

AB - BACKGROUND: Shift work, including night work, has been hypothesized to increase the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Recent reviews of evidence relating to these hypotheses have focussed on specific diseases or potential mechanisms, but no general summary of the current data on shift work and chronic disease has been published.METHODS: Systematic and critical reviews and recent original studies indexed in PubMed prior to 31 December 2009 were retrieved, aided by manual searches of reference lists. The main conclusions from reviews and principle results from recent studies are presented in text and tables.RESULTS: Published evidence is suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse association between night work and breast cancer but limited and inconsistent for cancers at other sites and all cancers combined. Findings on shift work, in relation to risks of CVD, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are also suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse relationship.CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity of study exposures and outcomes and emphasis on positive but non-significant results make it difficult to draw general conclusions. Further data are needed for additional disease endpoints and study populations.

KW - Adult

KW - Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology

KW - Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology

KW - Chronic Disease

KW - Circadian Rhythm

KW - Colorectal Neoplasms/epidemiology

KW - Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Meta-Analysis as Topic

KW - Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Neoplasms/epidemiology

KW - Occupational Diseases/epidemiology

KW - Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/statistics & numerical data

KW - Prostatic Neoplasms/epidemiology

KW - Review Literature as Topic

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Work Schedule Tolerance

U2 - 10.1093/occmed/kqr001

DO - 10.1093/occmed/kqr001

M3 - Review article

C2 - 21355031

SN - 0962-7480

VL - 61

SP - 78

EP - 89

JO - Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)

JF - Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)

IS - 2

ER -

Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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