New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time
Abstract Background The workplace is an important determinant of health that people are exposed to for the first-time during adolescence or early adulthood. This study investigates how diet, physical activity, and sleep change as people aged 16–30 years transition into work and whether this varies f...
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01682-8 |
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| author | Alena F. Oxenham Tanya Braune Esther van Sluijs Hannah Fairbrother Adam Martin Eleanor M. Winpenny |
| author_facet | Alena F. Oxenham Tanya Braune Esther van Sluijs Hannah Fairbrother Adam Martin Eleanor M. Winpenny |
| author_sort | Alena F. Oxenham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The workplace is an important determinant of health that people are exposed to for the first-time during adolescence or early adulthood. This study investigates how diet, physical activity, and sleep change as people aged 16–30 years transition into work and whether this varies for different individuals and job types. Methods Multilevel linear regression models assessed changes in fruit and vegetable intake, sleep duration, and physical activity among 3,302 UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) participants aged 16–30 years, who started work for the first time between 2015 and 2023. In line with interrupted time series analysis, models assessed behavioural trends in the period before starting work, the immediate effect of starting work, and changes in behaviour over time after employment. Stratified analyses examined differences by selected individual and job characteristics, adjusted for covariates. All analyses were conducted in R v.4.3.2. Results Sleep duration was stable over the years before and after starting work, but starting work was associated with an immediate reduction in sleep duration (β $$\:=\:$$ -9.74 [95% CI:-17.32 to -2.17 min/night). Physical activity, measured in Metabolic Equivalent Tasks (METs), increased immediately after starting work (β = 113.3, [95% CI: 80.49 to 146.11] MET-min/day), but subsequently decreased over time after starting work (β= -26.7, [95% CI: -40.75 to -12.66] MET-min/day/year). The increase in physical activity was greater among males, among those with no degree and among those starting lower socioeconomic classification jobs. Starting a “work from home” job had an immediate negative effect on physical activity (β= -126.42 [95% CI: -264.45 to 11.61] MET-min/day), whereas those who worked at their employer’s premises showed an initial increase (β = 128.81 [95% CI: 89.46 to 168.16] MET-min/day). Starting work had little influence on fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions This is the first study to examine how diet, physical activity, and sleep in young adults change as they start employment in the UK. Starting work is associated with decreased sleep time and increased physical activity, with differences based on sociodemographic and job characteristics. Future research should consider these potential influences of the work environment when developing interventions to promote healthy behaviour in the workplace. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a8328e1a2f2f47f4ac397f14a1c51981 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj-art-a8328e1a2f2f47f4ac397f14a1c519812025-02-02T12:43:03ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682025-01-0122111310.1186/s12966-024-01682-8New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first timeAlena F. Oxenham0Tanya Braune1Esther van Sluijs2Hannah Fairbrother3Adam Martin4Eleanor M. Winpenny5MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge Level 3 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineMRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge Level 3 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineMRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge Level 3 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineFaculty of Health, University of SheffieldAcademic Unit of Health Economics, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of LeedsMRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge Level 3 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineAbstract Background The workplace is an important determinant of health that people are exposed to for the first-time during adolescence or early adulthood. This study investigates how diet, physical activity, and sleep change as people aged 16–30 years transition into work and whether this varies for different individuals and job types. Methods Multilevel linear regression models assessed changes in fruit and vegetable intake, sleep duration, and physical activity among 3,302 UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) participants aged 16–30 years, who started work for the first time between 2015 and 2023. In line with interrupted time series analysis, models assessed behavioural trends in the period before starting work, the immediate effect of starting work, and changes in behaviour over time after employment. Stratified analyses examined differences by selected individual and job characteristics, adjusted for covariates. All analyses were conducted in R v.4.3.2. Results Sleep duration was stable over the years before and after starting work, but starting work was associated with an immediate reduction in sleep duration (β $$\:=\:$$ -9.74 [95% CI:-17.32 to -2.17 min/night). Physical activity, measured in Metabolic Equivalent Tasks (METs), increased immediately after starting work (β = 113.3, [95% CI: 80.49 to 146.11] MET-min/day), but subsequently decreased over time after starting work (β= -26.7, [95% CI: -40.75 to -12.66] MET-min/day/year). The increase in physical activity was greater among males, among those with no degree and among those starting lower socioeconomic classification jobs. Starting a “work from home” job had an immediate negative effect on physical activity (β= -126.42 [95% CI: -264.45 to 11.61] MET-min/day), whereas those who worked at their employer’s premises showed an initial increase (β = 128.81 [95% CI: 89.46 to 168.16] MET-min/day). Starting work had little influence on fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions This is the first study to examine how diet, physical activity, and sleep in young adults change as they start employment in the UK. Starting work is associated with decreased sleep time and increased physical activity, with differences based on sociodemographic and job characteristics. Future research should consider these potential influences of the work environment when developing interventions to promote healthy behaviour in the workplace.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01682-8Early adulthoodEmploymentLife transitions |
| spellingShingle | Alena F. Oxenham Tanya Braune Esther van Sluijs Hannah Fairbrother Adam Martin Eleanor M. Winpenny New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Early adulthood Employment Life transitions |
| title | New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time |
| title_full | New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time |
| title_fullStr | New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time |
| title_full_unstemmed | New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time |
| title_short | New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time |
| title_sort | new job new habits a multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time |
| topic | Early adulthood Employment Life transitions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01682-8 |
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