According to a study published in The BMJ, night shifts clubbed with an unhealthy lifestyle can put you at particularly high risk of type-2 diabetes. It is well established that unhealthy lifestyle behaviour like smoking, a poor diet and little exercise, and being overweight or obese increase the risk of type-2 diabetes. Shift work, especially night shift work, has also been associated with a greater risk of type-2 diabetes. However, the researchers believe this to be the first study to look at the combined impact of an unhealthy lifestyle and rotating night shift work on risk of type-2 diabetes.
For this study, working rotating night shift work was defined as working at least three-night shifts per month, in addition to day and evening shifts that month. Unhealthy lifestyle was defined using four major factors: being overweight, being a smoker, doing less than 30 minutes of exercise per day, and having a poor diet.
Over 22-24 years of follow-up, 10,915 of the 1,43,410 nurses reported having a diagnosis of type-2 diabetes. For every five years of working rotating night shifts, the nurses were almost a third (31 percent) more likely to have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.
Here Are Some Diet Tips You Should Keep In Mind To Keep Diabetes At Bay:
- If you are at a risk of developing diabetes or are suffering with diabetes, then you must follow a low-carb diet. Eating high carbohydrate foods enter into the bloodstream causing the blood sugar to spike. Therefore, it is best to eat low carb foods.
- Excess body fat, particularly if stored around your abdomen, can increase the body's resistance to insulin, which may result in unstable blood glucose levels. It is best to manage your weight efficiently.
- Limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol can cause weight gain, along with increasing your blood pressure levels and triglyceride levels, further increasing the risk of developing diabetes.
- Eat a diet that is loaded with protein, fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. Protein and fibre digest slowly, further causing a delayed spike in blood sugar levels. Moreover, they keep you fuller for longer, preventing you from cravings and overeating.
- Look out for added sugar in the canned and processed foods. Eating them regularly can not only increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, but also up the chances of diabetes.
- Make sure you are engaging in some physical activity or the other, irrespective of how busy you are. It is upon you to take out at least 30 minutes of your time to run, jog, walk or engage in any sport.
- Are you loading up on enough vitamin D? Some studies have linked vitamin D with blood sugar control. People with low vitamin D levels are most likely to develop diabetes.
Follow these simple diet tips to prevent diabetes and ensure a healthy life!