Sleep duration as a mediator between an alternating day and night shift work schedule and metabolic syndrome among female hospital employees

Shift work is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, with an odds ratio of 2.72.

• Sleep duration on work shifts may act as an important intermediate in the relationship between shift work and metabolic syndrome.
• The odds ratio for sleep duration as a mediator is 2.25, suggesting a significant link.
• When accounting for sleep duration, the association between shift work and metabolic syndrome is reduced to an odds ratio of 1.18.
• Cumulative lifetime shift work exposure does not appear to be associated with metabolic syndrome in this group of female hospital employees.

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