New Monash study supports intermittent fasting for night shift workers
Published in The Lancet's eBioMedicine, the SWIFt study tested the effectiveness of two variations of the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet compared with continuous energy restriction in 250 night shift workers. The research was led by Professor Maxine Bonham from the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, a part of the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and a team from University of South Australia, Griffith University, Deakin University and Monash University.
“Due to their work schedules, night shift workers have little choice but to eat at times of the day normally associated with sleeping, and because of this weight gain and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes are recognised consequences of night shift work,” said Professor Bonham.
The 5:2 strategy involved eating just 2100 kJ (about 25% of usual dietary intake) for two days of the week, either on night shift or rest days and eating normally on the remaining days. The researchers compared this approach to a traditional continuous energy restriction diet over 24 weeks.
“By testing the effectiveness of two 5:2 strategies compared with continuous energy restriction on weight loss and improvements in insulin resistance in night shift workers, we were able to understand that just by minimising food intake 1–2 days a week, without changing any other aspect of their diet, we can improve night shift worker health,” Professor Bonham said.
Participants reported the 5:2 approach was both acceptable and flexible. “Access to food at night can be challenging for night shift workers as often their choices may be limited to take away or vending machines. Interviews with participants from the SWIFt study showed that the IF strategies were both acceptable and provided flexibility around their shift schedules. We did however provide the food for the two days/nights,” she said.
“For the first time we have shown that the 5:2 diet offers an alternative approach to improving metabolic health, including blood pressure, body weight and insulin resistance, in night shift workers that may be more flexible for their lifestyle,” Professor Bonham said.
Professor Bonham is a leader in nutrition research and course convenor of the Bachelor of Nutrition Science at Monash University. She played a central role in the development of the Be Active Sleep and Eat (BASE) facility, a cross-disciplinary research environment that brings together expertise in nutrition, sleep and physiology.
This work underscores Monash’s ongoing commitment to improving the health of under-recognised populations through practical, evidence-based solutions.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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