Shift work has become rampant not only in developing countries, but developed countries as well, with the United States having around 15 million shift workers. Being charmed by either a large salary or the promise of no traffic and a sense of solitude that night brings, people flock to jobs that offer shift work. But many dangers reside with this type of schedule, and one newly realized one is unhealthy eating.

Poor diet is the latest seen of the many risks that come with shift work, according to an editorial by PLoS Medicine, an open-access medicine journal. This trend of unhealthy eating among shift workers has been linked to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes due to the easy access of junk food and carbonated sodas.

Because of these risks and how largely they affect those working in such a schedule, working patterns must be considered a risk factor for obesity and type-2 diabetes, both worsening problems in the developed world.

Unhealthy eating could be considered as a new form of occupational hazard.

Other Hazards of Shift Work

Despite gaining the favor of some people who prefer working at night as more flexible or less bothersome, experts and doctors warn the effects of shift work are not to be ignored.

With experts saying shift work has a serious impact not only on the health, but also the lifestyle of those working outside the 9 to 5, this schedule incurs both short-term and long-term adverse health effects, according to WebMD.com.

Short-term effects that come with shift work are fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, increased risk of injuries and accidents, insomnia, decreased quality of life and a general feeling of being unwell.

Long-term effects however, are more serious, as they include diabetes and metabolic syndrome, obesity, depression and mood disorders, serious gastrointestinal problems, fertility and pregnancy problems, and cancer.

What to do About it

Since good jobs may be hard to come by, shift work may be unavoidable. So what can people do to cope with such a perilous work schedule?

Since caring for one's body is top priority, and eating, sleeping, and exercising are the pitfalls of those in shift work, simple things can help, according to MayoClinic.com.

It is advised to keep a consistent sleep schedule with the sleep hours being the same every day; taking short 30-minute naps can also help those who are feeling weary from work; and for extreme cases, seek a doctor and see if sleeping pills are needed.

In order to shift workers to stay healthy, a proper diet must be observed. With that in mind, bringing food from home and not partaking snacks from the vending machines can be the start. Other things that should be kept in mind are eating smaller portions and voiding caffeinated drinks.

While for those who need to exercise, it is recommended to work out before one's shift begins. And if that cannot be done, consider light exercise during breaks.