Shift Work Positively Associated With Kidney Stone Events

MONDAY, Oct. 6, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Shift work is positively associated with the risk of kidney stone events, and certain lifestyle factors mediate these associations, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Man He, M.D., from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, and colleagues recruited 226,459 participants of the U.K. Biobank between Dec. 19, 2006, and Oct. 1, 2010, and followed them until May 1, 2023, to examine the associations of shift work with kidney stone events. Participants were questioned about their occupational status during the baseline investigation.

The researchers found that a kidney stone developed in 2,839 participants during a median follow-up of 13.7 years. Individuals who did shift work had a higher risk of kidney stone events in the fully adjusted models (hazard ratio, 1.15). Among younger participants (<50 years) and workers who never or rarely dealt with heavy manual labor, these associations were more pronounced. Potential mediators were smoking, sleep duration, sedentary time, body mass index, and fluid intake.

“Supporting healthy lifestyle habits among shift workers could have a meaningful impact on their urological health,” lead author Yin Yang, Ph.D., also from Sun Yat-sen University, said in a statement. “Workplace health promotion initiatives could integrate educational programs emphasizing the importance of weight management, increased fluid intake, healthy sleep habits, reduced sedentary behavior, and smoking cessation.”

Abstract/Full Text

Editorial