Does intermittent fasting impact diet quality in night shift workers.

Background: Shift workers have increased risks of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Theses increased risks of chronic disease experienced by shift working populations is a result of eating and sleeping at odds with the natural circadian rhythms of the body and weight gain is a well document consequence. The NHMRC funded SWIFt study (https://www.monash.edu/medicine/swiftstudy) is a novel multi-site (Melbourne and Adelaide) intervention investigating three different weight loss strategies for shift workers. The three diets are i) continuous energy restriction ii) 5:2 day (fasting on a day shift or day off) and iii) 5:2 night (fasting on a night shift). Over the past four years, 250 shift workers have been randomised to one of three weight-loss diets and 170 have completed a 24 week weight loss intervention, with 150 participants followed up for another 12 months. Whilst intermittent fasting resulted in successful for weight loss, there are some concerns regarding the impact of fast days on diet quality and subsequent over consumption on non-fast days. We have data at both 24 weeks (end of active intervention) and 18 months post intervention that can be used to answer this question. Outcomes from the study can be used to develop personalised advice for people undertaking IF regimens.