Night Work and Metabolic Syndrome: Is There a Difference Between Intellectual and Manual Labor?

Hatidza Kurtovic¹, Nadja Omanovic¹, Mirela Avdic-Tutan¹, Nermina Hadzihasanovic¹, Nermina Avdagic¹, Emina Hadzigrahic¹

1 Institute for Occupational Medicine of the Sarajevo Canton, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Corresponding Author: Hatidza Kurtovic MD, Institute for Occupational Medicine of the Sarajevo Canton, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; E-mail: khatidza@gmail.com; Phone: +387 61 983 678; ORCID ID: 0009-0006-1414-0356

Cite this article: Kurtovic H, Omanovic N, Avdic-Tutan M, Hadzihasanovic N, Avdagic N, Hadzigrahic E. Night Work and Metabolic Syndrome: Is There a Difference Between Intellectual and Manual Labor? Sar Med J 2025; 2(2):116-121. 10.70119/0039-25

Pages: 116 – 121 / Published online: 19 December 2025

Original submission: 10 August 2025; Revised submission: 6 December 2025; Accepted: 18 December 2025

Abstract

Introduction. Numerous studies conducted so far have established a link between night work and the development of metabolic syndrome, which is, in turn, a predisposing factor for the development of other comorbidities. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in the impact of predominantly intellectual and predominantly manual night-shift labor on the development of metabolic syndrome.
Methods. The research was conducted at the Institute for Occupational Medicine of the Sarajevo Canton based on data obtained from periodic examinations performed at the Department of Occupational Diseases and Preventive Examinations and data obtained from the First Instance Medical Commission for temporary incapacity for work (health workers, production workers, gas station workers, warehouse workers).
Results. Metabolic syndrome was more common among workers engaged in night manual labor (40%) than in night intellectual labor (35%), with a higher prevalence in older individuals in both groups. The group of subjects engaged in manual labor had a higher rate of abdominal obesity and hypertension, while intellectual workers had milder metabolic disorders.
Conclusion. The research showed that there is no significant difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome development in workers engaged in night intellectual and night manual labor, but there are significant differences regarding gender and type of occupation, as well as the frequency of individual components of metabolic syndrome in these two groups.

Key words: cardiovascular disease, circadian rhythm, diabetes mellitus, obesity.