Job stress and shift work have a lot more to do with obesity
among nurses than previously thought, according to a study by
the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Survey data from
2,103 female nurses revealed that nurses with long work hours
were significantly more likely to be obese compared with
underweight or normal weight nurses. The obese nurses also
reported having jobs requiring less physical exertion and less
movement. Previous to the study, not much was known
scientifically about the prevalence of nurses' obesity and of
the potential relationship between their work and their weight,
says lead researcher Kihye Han, PhD, RN, postdoctoral fellow at
the School. Han says the study results provide timely evidence-
based information for nurse executives and administrators who
may consider rethinking their nurse scheduling. "Long work hours
and shift work adversely affect quantity and quality of sleep,
which often interferes with adherence to healthy behavior and
increases obesity," she concludes. The s