Shift Work and Poor Food Habits Among Nurses

Researchers looked at how nurses who work different schedules eat. They focused on staff in medical wards across three hospitals in a Swiss region. The goal was to see what factors push nurses toward healthy or unhealthy meals.

Only a small fraction of the nurses reported eating well. About 15 percent said they followed a healthy diet, while more than 30 percent were overweight or obese. Many ate too few fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy each day. At the same time, they grabbed salty and sugary snacks often. Meals were irregular, and younger nurses on night shifts showed the worst patterns.

The main obstacles were work fatigue and stress. Long hours and irregular hours made it hard to plan balanced meals. Full‑time staff and night‑shift workers seemed especially vulnerable. These groups may need special health programs to improve their eating habits.

The findings suggest that workplace wellness efforts should target younger nurses, full‑time employees and night‑shift crews. However, the researchers warned that the subgroup results were exploratory and should be interpreted carefully. Better nutrition could protect nurses’ long‑term health and improve patient care.