(Matheson et al., 2014) and depression (Harrington, 2001).
Moreover, access to healthy food has been acknowledged
as a barrier to nurses and other healthcare professionals
serving as healthy role models for patients, and development
of health-promoting workplaces is a central component
of current NHS strategy (NHS England, 2014).
However, shift work may not explain the disparity
between Scotland and other countries where prevalence of
overweight and obesity is lower. Further research is
therefore required that compares prevalence of overweight
and obesity among nurses with other occupational
groups who work shifts. Most immediately, cross-national
research is needed to compare findings from Scotland to
other countries – especially the USA – where, despite
similar shift-based working patterns, prevalence of overweight
and obesity is lower among nurses than the general
working population (Miller et al., 2008; Zitkus, 2011).
Moreover, access to healthy foods in the workplace may
not explain differences observed between healthcare
professionals potentially working in the same location.
Hence, research is needed to understand dietary behaviours
of different health professional groups and potential