Thyroid: Long working is associated with hypothyroidism

Numerous studies have highlighted the adverse effects of long working hours on workers' health; A recent study published in the authoritative journal Thyroid, in the field of thyroid disease, aims to assess whether prolonged work is a risk factor for thyroid dysfunctionthe cross-sectional study is based on data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey for the period 2013-2015A total of 2,160 adults who worked 36-83 hours a week were included in the studyAfter excluding individuals who were positive in thyroid peroxidase antibodies, thyroid function was determined according to the population's thyroid-stimulating hormone reference rangeThe correlation between working time and thyroid function was confirmed by the regression of multivariate Logichypothyroidism is more common in people who work longer hours (3.5% and 1.4% of individuals working 53-83 hours per week and 36-42 hours per week)After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, urine iodine concentration, smoking, working hours and socioeconomic status, individuals who worked longer hours were more likely to develop hypothyroidism (the ratio of 1.46 for every 10 hours of working hours per week was 1.46, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.12-1.90)The relationship between working time and hypothyroidism was consistent in different subgroups by sex or socio-economic statusit is clear that long hours of work are associated with hypothyroidismFurther large-scale longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between them