According to a new study, irregular mealtimes increase the risk of developing depression and anxiety in shift workers. Delayed meal times increase one’s risk of developing mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, according to a study conducted on airline staff.
A study conducted by Mi Xiang, an associate professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, suggests that skipping breakfast or dinner may lead to increased susceptibility to mood disorders. Results from the study indicated, however, that sticking to the same 12-hour window for eating every day might keep one’s mood even, which is also consistent with the principles of intermittent fasting.
“An eating window of less than 12 hours may be associated with reduced severity of anxiety or depression,” the research team concluded.
The researchers drew on data from over 22,600 airline crew members who were participating in an ongoing health survey of employees from the major airlines in China. They tracked, among other things, the timing for breakfast and dinner and the time between the two meals. They then compared this to the crew members’ scores for screening tools on anxiety and depression.
Results, published by JAMA Network Open, showed that day shift workers who delayed dinner past 8 p.m. were at twice the risk of depression and had a higher risk of anxiety, 78 percent higher than those who ate dinner earlier. Further, it was found that delaying breakfast until after 9 a.m. spiked the risk of depression by 73 percent and anxiety by 79 percent.
It also noted that people who work at night and those who are off-duty face an increased risk of anxiety and depression if mealtimes are delayed. The adverse impact was more severe when mealtimes were affected by jet lag.
“We found that the dietary rhythms of individuals in this profession varied depending on the time of flight operations [early morning or late night],” the researchers wrote. “These irregular eating rhythms were associated with higher odds of anxiety and depression.”
In contrast, individuals who ate within a 12-hour time frame each day had a 16% reduced risk of anxiety and 19% lower odds of depression compared with those with more variable eating schedules.
The research team postulated that such mealtime shifts would interrupt the body’s inner circadian rhythm, so it brings metabolic changes and hence affects mood. They went further to say that the psychological impact of irregular mealtimes might be even worse for ordinary workers, who lack the same type of resilience and stress management capabilities as these aircrews do.
“Through rigorous training and resilience building, airline crews are presumed to be more capable of coping better with stress and managing emergencies than average workers,” the researchers noted. “Hence, for a typical shift worker, the psychological consequences … could be more severe.”
It serves to underline the very important role played by regular mealtimes in one’s mental health, particularly when working irregular hours. According to the study, adhering to a consistent eating schedule might be rather simple but very helpful in avoiding the risk of developing anxiety and depression.