Differences in food intake and subjective perceptions of food between day and night shift workers over 24 hours

Introduction: Shift work is a common scheduling practice in contemporary society due to the ongoing demand for specific products and services throughout the 24-hour day. Research has established associations between shift work and the developing obesity and metabolic disorders, and the dietary intake during nighttime seems to increase the risk of these conditions. Nevertheless, it remains unclear if hunger, food preferences, and satiety differ between night workers and day workers. This study aimed to compare the daily patterns of dietary intake and subjective dietary perceptions among day and night workers. Our hypothesis suggests that night workers are more likely to concentrate their meals during the nighttime hours. Furthermore, it is expected that night workers would have a greater appetite for indulgent foods, which are typically high in fat, sugar, and sodium, compared to day workers.