Aims: The objective of the present work was to determine to what extent sleep quality may mediate the association between CD, metabolic syndrome (MS) and body composition (BC). Methodology: Cross-sectional study which included 300 adult health workers, 150 of whom were night shift workers and thereby exposed to CD. Diagnosis of MS was made based on Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Body mass index (BMI), fat mass percentage,

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... and visceral fat percentage were measured as indicators of BC. Data were analyzed using logistic, linear regression and structural equation models. Results: The odds of health workers exposed to CD to suffer from MS was 22.13 (IC95 8.68 - 66.07) when the model was adjusted for age, gender, physical activity and energy consumption. CD was also significantly associated with an increase in fat mass and visceral fat percentages, but not to BMI. Surprisingly, there was not enough evidence supporting the hypothesis that sleep quality contributes to the association between CD and MS or BC. Conclusions: Sleep quality does not mediate the negative effects of CD on health and BC.