Study links shift work to higher risk of kidney stones, influenced by lifestyle factors

(Press-News.org) Rochester, MN, October 1, 2025 – A study evaluating how various shift work patterns contribute to kidney stone risk has revealed that shift workers have a 15% higher risk of developing kidney stones, especially younger workers and those with low levels of manual labor. Body mass index (BMI), fluid intake, and other lifestyle factors play key roles contributing to the occurrence of kidney stones. The findings of the novel study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, published by Elsevier, indicate that kidney stone prevention efforts should extend to shift workers.

Long-term shift work, identified as an irregular work schedule outside conventional daytime work hours, especially night shift work, could disrupt workers’ circadian rhythms, affect metabolism and hormone secretion, alter lifestyles, and lead to adverse health outcomes. The probability of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and mental disorders, has been reported to be increased among shift workers. However, kidney stone disease among shift workers has rarely been investigated in prior studies.

Using data from over 220,000 participants from the UK Biobank Study, the researchers of the current study analyzed the association of shift work, including its type, frequency, and duration, with kidney stone events over a median follow-up period of 13.7 years. They also conducted mediation analyses to investigate whether various lifestyle behaviors could explain this relationship.

“This is the first population-based cohort study to comprehensively evaluate how various shift work patterns contribute to kidney stone risk,” explains lead investigator of the study “Lifestyle Factors in the Association of Shift Work with Kidney Stone Events” Yin Yang, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. “We found that shift work is associated with a higher risk of kidney stone events; an association that is partially mediated by several lifestyle factors, including smoking, sleep, fluid intake, and BMI.”

The investigators also determined that participants with a longer history of shift work had a slightly lower risk of kidney stones. This may suggest a healthy worker effect or adaptation over time, which warrants further investigation.

Kidney stone disease is a common and preventable urological disease, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 1% to 13% in different regions across the world. It has been associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and renal failure, all of which impose a substantial long-term disease burden. Kidney stone formation is influenced by several intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including genetics, dietary characteristics, physical activity, BMI, and other lifestyle behaviors.

“Kidney stones may be silent or cause acute complications, especially pain that may be sufficiently severe so as to necessitate hospitalization,“ notes Felix Knauf, MD, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, corresponding author of the accompanying editorial “Shift Work and the Risk of Kidney Stones,” pointing out that according to the study, the highest risk for kidney stones occurred in individuals involved with night shift work.

Dr. Knauf elaborates, “A central effect of shift work is the disruption of circadian rhythms. Homeostasis and health are underpinned by physiologic systems, virtually all of which are governed by the biologic clock that dictates the periodicity, tempo, and physiologic effects of circadian rhythms. This also applies to physiologic systems that regulate water balance and the homeostasis of solutes relevant to kidney stone formation. Thus, the observed effect of shift work in promoting kidney stone formation reflects, at least in part, its disruptive effect on circadian rhythms. The findings of this study highlight the need to explore initiatives that seek to remediate the risk factors for kidney stones, including greater flexibility in work schedules.”

Dr. Yang concludes, “Our findings come at a time when the effect of shift work on urological health is an urgent priority globally. Supporting healthy lifestyle habits among shift workers could have a meaningful impact on their urological health. 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. These interventions have the potential to alleviate the adverse effects of shift work on kidney stone formation and improve workers’ health.”

 

END