Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Original Article

Association between long working hours and liver enzymes: evidence from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007–2017: Ji-Hun Song, Hyoung-Ryoul Kim, Dong-Wook Lee, Jeehee Min, Yu Min Lee, Mo-Yeol Kang; Ann Occup Environ Med 2022;34:e9. Published online May 13, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2022.34.e9

Abstract Abstract in Korean PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background

Long working hours causes several health risks, but little is known about its effects on the liver. This study aimed to examine the correlation between working hours and abnormal liver enzyme levels.

Methods

We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV–VII. For the final 15,316 study participant, the information on working hours was obtained through questionnaires, and liver enzyme levels, consisting of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), through blood tests. The relationship between weekly working hours and abnormal levels of liver enzymes was analyzed using multiple logistic regression, and a trend test was also conducted.

Results

In male, working ≥ 61 hours per week was significantly associated with elevated AST and ALT levels compared with working 35–52 hours per week. Even after adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (ORs) of abnormal AST and ALT increased by 1.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.20–2.05) and 1.25 (1.03–1.52), respectively, and a dose-response relationship was observed. This association was more prominent among the high-risk group, such as those aged > 40 years, obese individuals, worker on non-standard work schedule, pink-collar workers, or temporary worker. No correlation was observed in female.

Conclusions

Long working hours are associated with abnormal liver function test results in male. Strict adherence to statutory working hours is necessary to protect workers’ liver health.

장시간 노동과 간기능 이상의 상관성: 2007-2017 국민건강영양조사 자료를 이용하여
목적
장시간 노동은 여러 가지 건강상의 위험을 초래하지만 간에 미치는 영향에 대해서는 아직까지 알려진 바가 거의 없다. 본 연구는 근로시간과 간기능 이상과의 상관관계를 알아보는 것을 목적으로 하였다.
방법
본 연구를 위해 4-7차 국민건강영양조사 자료를 사용하였다. 최종 연구참여자 15,316명을 대상으로 설문지를 통해 근무시간 정보를 얻었고 혈액검사를 통해 혈청 아스파르테이트아미노트랜스퍼라제(AST)와 알라닌아미노트랜스퍼라제(ALT)로 구성된 간효소치 정보를 얻었다. 다중 로지스틱 회귀 분석을 통해 주당 근무 시간과 간효소 이상 수치와의 관계를 분석하고 추세 검정도 함께 진행하였다.
결과
남성의 경우 주당 35-52시간 일하는 것에 비해, 법정 최대 근로시간을 초과한 주당 53-60시간을 근무하여도 AST 및 ALT 수치의 유의한 상승이 관찰되진 않았으나, 주당 60시간을 초과하여 일하는 경우 유의하게 상승하였다. 공변량을 보정한 후에도 AST와 ALT이상수치의 교차비(ORs)가 각각 1.51 (95% 신뢰 구간: 1.20-2.05) 및 1.25 (1.03-1.52) 증가하여 용량-반응 관계가 관찰되었다. 이 연관성은 40세 이상, 비만인, 비정규시간 근로자, 핑크 칼라 노동자, 임시직 노동자와 같은 고위험군에서 더 두드러졌다. 여성에서는 상관관계가 관찰되지 않았다.
결론
남성의 경우 장시간 노동은 간기능 검사 결과 이상과 관련이 있다. 근로자의 간 건강을 보호하기 위해서는 법정 근로시간을 철저히 준수하는 것이 필요하다.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Association between long working hours and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease: a nationwide population-based study in Korea
S.-U. Baek, J.-U. Won, Y.-M. Lee, J.-H. Yoon
Public Health.2024; 232: 188. CrossRef
Long working hours and increased risks of lean non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among Korean men and women
Ga-Young Lim, Yoosoo Chang, Inah Kim, Seungho Ryu, Ria Kwon, Jaechul Song
Scientific Reports.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
The associations of health behaviors and working hours with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in Korean wage workers: a cross-sectional study
Choong-Won Seo, Eun-A Park, Tae-Hyung Yoon
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives.2023; 14(5): 356. CrossRef

247 View
2 Download
3 Web of Science
3 Crossref

Research Article

Relationship between shift work and liver enzymes: a cross-sectional study based on the Korea National Health and Examination Survey (2007–2015): Hyeongyeong Choi, Hyun-Jeong Oh, Ji-Su Shin, MyeongSeob Lim, Sung-Kyung Kim, Hee-Tae Kang, Sung-Soo Oh, Sang-Baek Koh; Ann Occup Environ Med 2019;31:e15. Published online July 31, 2019; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2019.31.e15

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub

Background

Shift work has well-known adverse effects on health. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between shift work and hepatic disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association between shift work and abnormal level of liver enzymes.

Methods

The aggregated data from the 2007–2009, 2010–2012, and 2013–2015 cycles of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used for this study. The χ² test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to assess relationship between shift work and abnormal level of liver enzymes stratified by gender.

Results

The odds ratio (OR) of abnormal serum level of alanine aminotransferase (abnormal ALT) in female shift workers was higher with 1.31 (95% confidence interval: 1.00–1.71) compared with day workers after adjusting for covariates. After dividing into subgroups of the shift work pattern, the ORs of abnormal liver enzymes for each pattern compared with day work were not significantly higher.

Conclusions

This study provides limited support for the hypothesis that shift work is related to liver enzyme abnormalities, but offers some evidence in favor of the idea that shift work affects female workers more than males on abnormal ALT. Further studies are needed to define the relationship between shift work and abnormal liver enzymes to be carried out as well as the gender difference in the association.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Investigating the relationship between shift work schedule and blood and metabolic parameters: a 10-years retrospective cohort study
Ahmad Soltanzadeh, Meysam Eyvazlou, Mostafa Mohammad-ghasemi, Mansoureh Sadeghi-Yarandi, Monireh Rahimkhani, Neda Ghasemi, Mojdeh Bonyadi, Mohsen Sadeghi-Yarandi
Scientific Reports.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Consequences of Shift Work and Night Work: A Literature Review
Isabel Silva, Daniela Costa
Healthcare.2023; 11(10): 1410. CrossRef
Shift work and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease incidence among Chinese rail workers: a 4-year longitudinal cohort study
Jiahui Xu, Shu Ni, Yuming Wang, Mengfan Yan, Xueli Yang, Han Ge, Zizhuo Jia, Ze Yang, Anqi Shan, Huanyu Liu, Nai-jun Tang
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.2023; 96(1): 179. CrossRef
Correlation between shift work and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among male workers in the steel manufacturing company of Korea: a cross-sectional study
Kiseok Kim, Yong-Jin Lee, Soon-Chan Kwon, Young-Sun Min, Hyun Kyo Lee, Gwangin Baek, Sang Hyeon Kim, Eun-Chul Jang
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Association between long working hours and liver enzymes: evidence from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007–2017
Ji-Hun Song, Hyoung-Ryoul Kim, Dong-Wook Lee, Jeehee Min, Yu Min Lee, Mo-Yeol Kang
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Factors associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase in employees of a German chemical company: results of a large cross-sectional study
Matthias Claus, Christoph Antoni, Bernd Hofmann
BMC Gastroenterology.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Relationship between shift work and age-related macular degeneration: a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2012)
Kibeom Kim, Seongyong Yoon, Jinseok Kim, Kuck-Hyun Woo, Seong-yong Cho, Ha-ram Jo
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2021;[Epub] CrossRef

153 View
1 Download
10 Web of Science
7 Crossref

Original Article

Structural Modeling of Stress, Life Style and Health Status in Industrial Employees: Jang Kyun Oh; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2000;12(1):26-40. Published online March 31, 2000; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2000.12.1.26

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to examine stress affecting the life style(such as alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, sleep disturbance, obesity), and to determine the relationships among the stress, life style and health status of in industrial employees.
METHODS
This study utilized the data from health survey and laboratory test(such as liver enzymes and lipid profiles) in 463 Industrial Employees. Psychosocial wellbeing index was used in stress scales. The data were analyzed using SAS version 6. 11, LISREL version 8. 12i and PRELIS 2, 12i. The analytic methods for study were chi-square analysis, anova and covariance structural analysis.
RESULTS
There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and stress. The older person, married, higher education level, higher economic status and researcher group included the good life style. The higher streas groups included the more alcohol consumption, more smoking, less exercise and more sleep disturbance. There was no significant relationship between stress and health status(liver enzymes and lipid profiles) Alcohol consumption, less exercise and obesity had a significant relationship with abnormal liver enzymes. Alcohol consumption, smoking, less exercise, sleep disturbance and obesity had a significant relationship with abnormal lipid profiles. Based on the findings, the structural model of stress, life style and health status was established and then consider to socio-demographic characteristics the covariance structural analysis was used. The higher stress scores included the bad life style. The bad life style included the lower health status. Regardless stress, obesity was significant relationship with health status.
CONCLUSIONS
Control of stress was initiative clues in health-promotive behaviors. Less alcohol consumption, no smoking, regular exercise, no sleep disturbance and not obese were health-promotive behaviors. Stress influenced the life style, and then life style influenced the health status.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Individual and Regional Determinants to the Chronic Diseases in Seoul
Seo Young Yu, Donghyun Kim
Journal of Korea Planning Association.2023; 58(7): 39. CrossRef
Relationship between job stress, health functional food selection attributes, and consumption values among workers for information technology in Gyeonggi area
Ji-Eun Jung, Sung-Eun Kim
Journal of Nutrition and Health.2020; 53(1): 54. CrossRef
Eating Habit and Stress Status according to Exercising Habits of Middle-Aged Adults in Chungnam
Se-Yune Kim, Yeon-Ja Seo, Mi-Hyun Kim, Mi-Kyeong Choi
The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition.2016; 29(1): 43. CrossRef
The Relationship between Health Behavior and General Health Status: Based on 2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Chunhoo Cheon, So-Mi Oh, Soobin Jang, Jeong-Su Park, Sunju Park, Bo-Hyoung Jang, Yong-Cheol Shin, Seong-Gyu Ko
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives.2014; 5(1): 28. CrossRef
Relationship Between the Psychosocial Factors and Job Stress Among Clerical Public Officers
Ho-Jin Park, Sung-Kyeong Park, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2014; 15(9): 5610. CrossRef
Factors Influencing Health Promoting Behaviour according to the Type A/B Personality of White Collar Workers
Jin Yi Choi, Young Mi Park
Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing.2013; 22(4): 305. CrossRef
Relationships Between Job Stress and Psychosocial Stress Among Nurses in a University Hospital
Sung-Kyeong Park, Jong-Oh Kim, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2011; 12(9): 3887. CrossRef
Relationship Between Job Stress and Psychosocial Stress Among Clerical Public Officers
Yoon-Jeong Jo, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2011; 12(6): 2598. CrossRef
The Relationship of Work Stress and Family Stress to the Self‐Rated Health of Women Employed in the Industrial Sector in Korea
Gwang Suk Kim, Won Jung Cho, Chung Yul Lee, Lucy N. Marion, Mi Ja Kim
Public Health Nursing.2005; 22(5): 389. CrossRef

71 View
0 Download
9 Crossref

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search