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Around 1.5 million Australians are employed as shift workers, with more than 200,000 regularly working a night or evening shift. When people work irregular hours, they often eat at irregular hours, increasing the risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Now a study, funded by the , and conducted by the and is investigating strategies to help shift workers better manage their eating habits when they work at night.

The aim is to find suitable diet plans that can empower shift workers to better regulate their health. UniSA researcher Dr Michelle Headland said that the combination of irregular sleep patterns and eating around the clock can seriously affect shift workers鈥� health.

鈥淲hen you work irregular hours, your eating and sleeping patterns are affected, causing metabolic changes that can affect your health,鈥� Dr Headland said.

鈥淥ur body relies upon regular rhythms of energy storage and usage, guided by day and night. When we upset this balance by eating or sleeping at odd hours, our body can鈥檛 compensate, and we end up with higher levels of glucose which contributes to weight gain.

鈥淪hift work makes traditional weight loss plans extremely hard to follow, so what we鈥檝e been doing is exploring alternatives.鈥�

Co-researcher and UniSA colleague Professor Alison Coates said, 鈥淧revention often comes hand in hand with education. If we can ensure that Australia鈥檚 shift workers are informed about healthy food options for the night shift, they can learn to make simple and sustainable changes to their diets.鈥�

鈥淏eing prepared is key. By spending as little as 10 minutes a day on planning and preparing your meals, you鈥檙e more likely to snack on healthier foods and avoid treats from the vending machine.

鈥淥f course, a healthy variety of foods increases your chance of optimal nutrition, and if you include high-fibre and low-GI foods, you鈥檒l not only stay fuller for longer, but also regulate your glucose and cholesterol levels.

鈥淐hoosing smaller serves or meals when you鈥檙e on a night shift can stop you from feeling drowsy, without taking on too many calories; and drink water to stay hydrated, as opposed to a coffee 鈥� it may perk you up, but too much can drag your health down.鈥�

The study has over 200 enrolled participants and is currently on a final round of recruitment. To find out more or to participate, visit .

Image credit:聽漏stock.adobe.com/au/dissx