Nightshift Nutrition: A Content Analysis of Social Media Posts from Shiftworkers to Understand Barriers to Healthy Eating on-Shift

Introduction: The negative impact of food at night on the health and safety of shiftworkers has been well documented. Evidence exists on the underlying reasons for eating on-shift and the existing barriers to healthy eating within shiftwork environments. However, this previous research has utilized questionnaires, interviews, dietary recalls and food diaries which can be limited by social desirability bias and recall bias. Social media may overcome these limitations by offering a real-world environment for shiftworkers to discuss their eating behaviors.

Methods: This qualitative study investigated the dietary behaviors reported by shiftworkers through Facebook comments and TikTok videos. Facebook comments were collected if they were on public shiftworker-relevant posts about nutrition or diet. TikTok videos were collected if nightshift and nutrition were mentioned. Posts and videos were included if they were posted by self-identified shiftworkers, relatives of shiftworkers, or partners of shiftworkers.

Results: A thematic analysis of the 144 comments (Facebook) and 78 videos (TikTok) highlighted factors that influence eating on-shift that support previous research, such as limited availability to purchase or store foods, cravings on-shift, weight changes, job demand, and workplace culture. Novel results were also identified including excessive use of energy drinks at night, the preference for high-protein foods at night, the use of weight loss products on-shift (including fat loss shakes), and challenges adhering to time-restricted eating diets with rotating shifts.

Conclusion: Social media presents a unique opportunity to understand the eating patterns of shiftworkers and identify emerging issues. Future research should focus on further exploring these issues identified by workers on social media, including diet practices (e.g., time-restricted eating) on- shift, and the use of energy drinks on-shift. This will ensure future interventions for eating on-shift target the existing behaviors reported by shiftworkers, with the goal of improving health and safety on-shift.

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
08. Oktober 2025