By eating all their meals in a 10-hour window, firefighters improved their heart health and overall wellbeing.
THE CONTEXT
Firefighters work long shifts on a rotating roster, eating and sleeping at times that are routinely out of sync with their body clocks. Like all shift workers, this circadian disruption puts them at elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and depression. The baseline health data from this study reflected that reality, with high rates of obesity, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose across the group.
Scientists at the Salk Institute and University of California San Diego wanted to test whether a simple lifestyle intervention could meaningfully reduce these risks, and recruited 150 San Diego firefighters to find out.
THE change
The study involved half the participating firefighters being directed to eat all their meals and snacks (anything other than water) within a ten-hour eating window. The other half ate over a 14-hour window.
The firefighters who practiced time-restricted eating experienced a range of benefits, including significantly improved health markers (including blood pressure and blood glucose), especially among those firefighters who started the study with elevated levels. They also reported improved mental health and were drinking less alcohol.
THE OUTCOME
The research team showed that small behavioural changes and lifestyle interventions can make a big impact on the health and wellbeing of shift workers. These particular firefighters experienced firsthand the power of making better everyday choices on their short- and long-term health outcomes.
Fascinated and want to read more?
For the full study:
Feasibility of time-restricted eating and impacts on cardiometabolic health in 24-h shift workers: The Healthy Heroes randomized control trial.
What this means for organisations
Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of premature death among shift workers. This case study demonstrates that a targeted, behaviourally designed nutrition intervention, requiring no medication, no equipment, and no roster change, can produce meaningful improvements in the biomarkers that predict long-term health outcomes.
The organisational implications include reduced workers' compensation risk, lower long-term absenteeism and a workforce that sustains performance over a career rather than burning out before retirement.
