2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Physical activity and mental and physical health in rotating shift workers

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20800085
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Start-up)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Applied health science
Research Institution	National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan
Principal Investigator	TOGO Fumiharu National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan, 作業条件適応研究グループ, 研究員 (90455486)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2009
Keywords	身体活動 / 交代制勤務 / 眠気 / 疲労 / ストレス
Research Abstract	The associations between physical activity or dietary habits and mental or physical health in rotating shift workers were examined. Physical activity decreased levels of subjective sleepiness, and the level of subjective sleepiness was associated with levels of subjective fatigue and depression score. Daily consumption of snacks and nonalcoholic beverages for shift workers was higher than for day workers, which increased body mass index for shift workers. The number of subjects who skipped breakfast or lunch for shift workers was higher than for day workers. These results should be considered when developing guidelines for physical activity or dietary habits to maintain and/or improve physical and mental health for shift workers.