Abnormal liver function and central obesity associate with work-related fatigue among the Taiwanese workers

Abstract

AIM:To examine the associations between objective health indicators and high need for recovery (NFR) after work, one of the subjective presentations of work related-fatigue, among apparently healthy workers in modern workplaces. METHODS: From October to December, 2007, an annual health examination was performed for the workers from an electronics manufacturing factory in Taiwan. Health records of 1216 workers with a relatively homogeneous socioeconomic status were used for analysis. The health checkups included personal and NFR scale questionnaires, physical examinations, blood tests for biochemistry and hematology. The workers within the top tertile NFR score were defined as high-NFR workers. RESULTS: After adjusted for potential confounders, the workers with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and central obesity had a significantly higher NFR after work, with increased risks of 1.4-fold [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-2.0] and 1.8-fold (95% CI = 1.2-2.7), respectively. Shiftworkers had a 2.0-fold (95% CI = 1.5-2.6) increased risk for high-NFR. The associations between high-NFR and lipid profiles, blood sugar, hematology indexes or blood pressure were insignificant after controlling for confounders. CONCLUSION:For apparently healthy workers, high NFR after work is not simply a subjective experience. Objective health measures, such as elevated ALT and increased waist circumference, should be carefully evaluated for the apparently healthy workers having a higher NFR after work.

The association of total and central body fat with pain, fatigue and the impact of fibromyalgia in women; role of physical fitness

“…However, it is noteworthy that body fat (total or central) was independently associated with general and physical‐related fatigue when physical fitness was accounted for. This association is consistent with those of previous studies in healthy participants, where both total and central body fat were associated with general and physical‐related fatigue (Lim et al., ; Lin et al., ; Jarosz et al., ). It might be speculated that higher total and/or central body fat leads to greater body and leg loads (Lim et al., ), which consequently might result in greater physical fatigue, especially in fibromyalgia population.…”

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related factors in Taiwanese high-tech industry workers

“…This finding stems from the storage of ALT in hepatic cells; therefore, ALT is a more effective marker for detecting pathogenic hepatic fatty changes caused by obesity, as compared to AST 29. Two reasons may explain the positive relationship between ALT and the risk of MS. First, abnormally elevated ALT is often found in people under tremendous workplace pressure or extreme fatigue 30. High psychological pressure may activate the sympathetic system to raise arterial blood pressure and reduce renal blood flow 31.…”

“… 29 Two reasons may explain the positive relationship between ALT and the risk of MS. First, abnormally elevated ALT is often found in people under tremendous workplace pressure or extreme fatigue. 30 High psychological pressure may activate the sympathetic system to raise arterial blood pressure and reduce renal blood flow. 31 Consequently, the patient develops vasculitic reactions and elevated serum UA levels, increasing the risk of MS. Second, elevated ALT can also indicate abnormal liver function caused by fatty liver.…”