Impact of Night Shift Work on Dietary Habits Among Intensive Care and Emergency Healthcare Workers (NUTRINIGHT)

Overview

Night shift work is an essential component of healthcare systems, particularly in intensive care units and emergency departments, where continuous patient monitoring and rapid clinical decision-making are required. However, it is associated with diruption of the circadian rhythm , sleep disturbances, and physiological stress, which may influence lifestyle behaviors, including dietary habits. Previous studies have reported that night work can be associated with changes in meal timing, increased caloric intake, preference for energy-dense foods, and reduced overall diet quality.Despite the growing literature on night work and nutrition, data specifically describing dietary habits among healthcare professionals working night shifts in high-intensity clinical settings remain limited. Intensive care units and emergency departments combine high workload, psychological stress, time constraints, and restricted access to appropriate meals during night hours, all of which may affect eating behaviors. Moreover, whether these dietary patterns are specific to healthcare professionals or primarily related to night work itself remains unclear. This observational, cross-sectional study aims to describe dietary habits among healthcare professionals working night shifts in intensive care units and emergency departments, and to compare these habits with those of night workers from non-healthcare sectors. Data will be collected prospectively through a voluntary, anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire during a defined inclusion period. The questionnaire will explore meal timing, eating patterns, food choices, and constraints perceived as influencing dietary behaviors during night work. By providing a descriptive overview of dietary habits across different categories of night workers, the study seeks to improve understanding of how night work and occupational context influence eating behaviors. The findings may contribute to the development of future preventive strategies and workplace health initiatives aimed at improving the health and well-being of night shift workers

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