Itani O, et al. - The impact of multiple lifestyle-related factors, for instance, sleep duration, shift work, and actual days taken off work were probed during this trial on new-onset metabolic syndrome (MetS). A greater risk of MetS onset was discovered due to an increase in short sleep duration, shift work, and an insufficient number of days off work. The data suggested the use of comprehensive strategies to improve a range of lifestyle factors for workers, such as sleep duration and days off work, as it could reduce the risk of MetS onset.

Methods

• The enrollment consisted of 39,182 male employees (mean age 42.4±9.8 years) of a local government organization, in Japan.
• The follow-up was for a maximum of 7 years, between 1999 and 2006.

Results

• Multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazard method) detected seven high-risk lifestyle factors exhibiting a prominent link with new-onset MetS or a range of metabolic factors (obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia): (1) short sleep duration (<5 hours/day), (2) shift work, (3) insufficient number of days off work, (4) always eating until satiety, (5) not trying to take every opportunity to walk, (6) alcohol intake ≥60 g/day, and (7) smoking.
• A greater number of these high-risk lifestyle factors considerably promoted the onset of MetS.
• The hazard ratio for MetS associated with 0-1 high-risk lifestyle parameters per subject at the baseline was set at 1.00.
• Hazard ratios related to the following numbers of high-risk lifestyle parameters were: 1.22 (95% CI 1.15-1.29) for 2-3 of these parameters; and 1.43 (1.33-1.54) for 4-7.