Operacionalização objetiva da irregularidade temporal alimentar de militares em trabalho noturno

Abstract

Introduction: Night work can impact the nutritional quality of the diet and the frequency of consumption of certain foods, directly influencing health. The increase in the number of meals, such as snacks, or even the omission of some of the primary meals has been identified as a risk factor for a series of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between work shift (fixed night shift x irregular shift that includes night shift) and temporal irregularity in food, according to the chronotype of military nursing professionals. Furthermore, the objective was to compare the prevalence of temporal irregularity in eating by chronotype and test a predictive model of temporal irregularity in eating based on chronotype, type of shift (fixed and irregular) and other related variables. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional exploratory study with a quantitative approach, with a sample of 46 military personnel who worked as nurses or nursing technicians of the 7th Military Region - Brazilian Army, residing in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, and who worked the night shift, which may be irregular or fixed. The sampling was non-probabilistic, in which all military personnel who worked irregular and fixed night shifts and met the inclusion criteria were invited via e-mail. Results: Most of the sample was between 30 and 42 years old, mainly female (67.4%) and nursing technicians (76.1%). Most had between three months and two years of work time (32.6%), were irregular night shift workers (63%) and had a weekly workload of 30 hours (32.6%). It was identified that 37% of the participants were more morning, 30.4% intermediate, and 32.6% more afternoon, and that 24.4% of the participants had a low temporal irregularity in food, 22.2% mild, 28.9% moderate, and 24.4% high temporal eating irregularity. A higher rate of temporal eating irregularity (IITA) observed was in the morning participants of the fixed night shift. Among participants with an intermediate chronotype, the highest IITA observed was in the irregular shifts. Among afternoon participants, the highest IITA observed was in irregular shifts. The IITA was correlated positively with length of exposure to night work (in years), previous night work, type of job and weight gain in recent months. The difference between the time of the last meal and the bedtime on the day off and on the day after night work was positively correlated with the IITA. There was also a positive correlation between IITA and weight gain. Finally, the results showed night work before the current one and the difference between the last meal and bedtime on the day after the night work as positive and significant predictors of temporal irregularity in eating. Conclusion: We concluded that the highest temporal food irregularity level verified was among those who had highest exposure to night work, including previous night work. Among those, nursing technicians had the most elevated difference between the time of the last meal and the bedtime on days off and on days after night work. This difference is even higher for employees working irregular night shifts than for workers with fixed night shifts and among those who had increased more body weight in the last year. In addition, previous night work and the time difference between the last meal and bedtime on the day after the night work were positive and significant predictors of greater food timing irregularity.