GeroScienceMar 2, 2025

Shift Work Linked to Faster Biological Aging in a Large Population

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 28, 2026

Abstract

Among 195,419 participants, 16.1% were shift workers, with a significant association found between shift work and increased biological age acceleration.

Shift workers exhibited higher rates of chronic diseases and unhealthy lifestyles compared to non-shift workers.
Increased biological age acceleration was observed particularly among those with irregular and permanent night shifts.
Younger workers, males, and individuals with high BMI or poor sleep were more likely to experience greater biological age acceleration.
Significant interactions were identified between shift work and factors such as sex, socioeconomic status, education, ethnicity, and lifestyle.
Males faced higher risks of biological age acceleration from irregular and permanent night shifts, while females exhibited increased risks from evening and weekend shifts.

Simplified

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the associations between shift work and biological age acceleration (BAA) and to explore potential moderating factors that may influence the associations.

METHODS: A population-based study was conducted using data from 195 419 participants in the UK Biobank (mean age: 52.71 years; 49.1% male), all of whom were either in paid employment or self-employed. Biological age was assessed using 2 distinct algorithms, namely, the Klemera-Doubal method Biological Age (KDM-BA) and Phenotypic Age (PhenoAge). BAA was derived by the residuals with regressing biological age on chronological age.

RESULTS: Among 195 419 participants, 31 495 (16.1%) were shift workers, and 15 925 (8.1%) worked night shifts. Shift workers were more likely to have chronic diseases, unhealthy lifestyles, and poor sleep. Shift and night shift work were significantly associated with increased BAA, with higher risks observed in irregular and permanent night shifts. Subgroup analyses showed greater BAA risks in younger workers, males, and those with high BMI or poor sleep. Significant interactions were found between shift work and sex, socioeconomic status, educational level, ethnicity, cancer, lifestyle, and sleep status. Males had higher risks of KDM-BA Acceleration from irregular and permanent night shifts, while females showed increased PhenoAge Acceleration risks with evening/weekend shifts.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study underscored the need for better work-hour scheduling and targeted interventions for high-risk populations, which may help mitigate biological age acceleration associated with shift work.

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Competing interests

Declarations. Patient consent for publication: Not required. Ethical approval: UK Biobank received ethical approval from the Northwest Multi-center Research Ethics Committee (MREC reference:21/NW/0157). All participants gave written informed consent before enrolment in the study, which was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. More details about ethical approval could be seen at the website of UKB: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/learn-more-about-uk-biobank/about-us/ethics . Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Shift Work Linked to Faster Biological Aging in a Large Population

Abstract

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