Food habits and life styles of shift workers in the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria town council

Abstract

Background: Shift work induces anomalous life styles associated to increased morbidity in the workers. In this study an assessment of nutritional habits is made (breakfasts, meals, outer suppers and exits) during the labour week according to the work turn in a group of workers of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Town Council.Methods: Descriptive observational study of cross-sectional character. The study population was composed by 255 shiftworkers of road cleaning, 28 workers colleting of solid residues and 18 workers of the service of cleaning; put under work turns (mornings, afternoons, nights and rotator), that represent 87% of the municipal group in study. The number of studied surveys has been 262. Dietary intakes was assessed by a self registered food frequency questionnaire with eighty and two foods, next to a valuation of the work turn (shift workers), styles of life, physical activity, habits of consumption of the main meals physical activity, tobacco habits, forms to live, professional category, age and sex. The data were analyzed by means of statistical package SPSS Base v.15.0 for surroundings Windows. The food mean consumption calculated (gr./day) according to shift work. The proportion of the distribution of the categorical variables was made by means of the test of Chi-square.Results: In this group it is observed that only a 34% have breakfast in house when rising, and a 76% make a food to mid-morning. The desserts in the food are milky fruit (50%) and pies or (50%), and in the supper are mainly milky and pies (70%) and in smaller proportion fruit (30%). Few differences based on the turn exist, with the exception of the habit to eat between hours or snacks. A 30% of the population have supper a milk glass with cakes.Conclusions: The habit to take certain foods has relation with the labour turn. It is necessary to improve nutritional quality of the totality of the studied group being improved the breakfast and the, supper, and diminishing the meals between hours and the snacks. To as much educate to the group in study like a all the submissive shift workers, by means of previous studies when beginning the changes of turns and with Guides adapted to each turn of work is a necessity in the short term.