Abstract
Background/Objectives:
Research on prisoners is limited and demonstrates a group with disproportionate numbers from disadvantaged backgrounds, known to have a high burden of disease, much of which is diet related. The aim of this study was to gauge the presence of markers of chronic disease, as a basis for food and nutrition policy in prisons.
Subjects/Methods:
A cross-sectional study design was used with a convenience sample of prisoners in a male 945 bed high secure facility. Face-to-face interviews with physical measures of height, weight, body fat, waist circumference and blood pressure were collected along with fasting bloods. Data were confirmed with facility records, observations and staff interviews. Full ethics approval was obtained. Results were compared with studies of Australian prisoners and the general population.
Results:
The mean age was 35.5 years (n=120). Prevalence rates were as follows: obesity 14%, diabetes 5%, hypertension 26.7% and smoking 55.8%. Self-report of daily physical activity was 84%, with 51% participating ⩾2 times daily. Standard food provision was consistent with dietary recommendations, except that sodium was high. Where fasting bloods were obtained (n=78), dyslipidaemia was 56.4% with the metabolic syndrome (MS) present in 26%.
Conclusions:
Prevalence of diabetes and heart disease risk appear similar to the general population; however, obesity was lower and smoking higher. The data provide evidence that markers of chronic disease are present, with this the first study to describe the MS in prisoners. Food and nutrition policy in this setting is complex and should address the duty of care issues that exist.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Møller L, Stöver H, Jürgens R, Gatherer A, Nikogosian Heditors . Health in Prisons, A WHO Guide to the Essentials in Prison Health. WHO Regional Office for Europe: Denmark, 2007.
Fazel S, Baillargeon J . The health of prisoners. Lancet 2011; 377: 956–965.
Australian Bureau of Statistics Prisoners in Australia, 2012—45170 Reissue. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, 2013.
Edwards JSA, Hartwell HJ, Schafheitle J . Prison foodservice in England. J Foodservice 2009; 20: 157–166.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare The Health of Australia’s Prisoners 2012. AIHW: Canberra, 2013.
Deloitte Consulting. Victorian prisoner health survey. Department of Justice–Corrections Victoria, 2003.
Indig D, Topp L, Ross B, Mamoon H, Border B, Kaumar S et al 2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Key Findings Report. In: Health Jeditor, Pagewood: Justice Health, 2010.
Kariminia A, Butler T, Corben SP, Levy MH, Grant L, Kaldor JM et al. Extreme cause-specific mortality in a cohort of adult prisoners—1988–2002: a data-linkage study. Int J Epidemiol 2007; 36: 310–316.
World Health Organisation. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser 2000; 894, i-xii, 1-253.
World Health Organisation International Society of Hypertension Writing Group. World Health Organization (WHO)/International Society of Hypertension (ISH) statement on management of hypertension. J Hypertens 2003; 21: 1983–1992.
Friedewald WT, Levy RI, Fredrickson DS . Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem 1972; 18: 499–502.
Matthews DR, Hosker JP, Rudenski AS, Naylor BA, Treacher DF, Turner RC . Homeostasis model assessment:insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man. Diabetologia 1985; 28: 412–419.
Alberti KGMM, Zimmet P, Shaw J . The metabolic syndrome-a new worldwide definition. Lancet 2005; 366: 1059–1062.
Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey: Biomedical Results for Chronic Disease, 2011–12. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2013.
Williams P, Walton K, Hannan-Jones M . Prison foodservice in Australia; systems, menus and inmate attitudes. J Foodservice 2009; 20: 167–180.
Xyris Software. FoodWorks 2009 professional edition. 6.0.2517 ed2009.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AUSNUT 2007 Foods. ID 30, Lic 256, Rev 10, 11 May 2010.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AUSNUT 2007 Brands. ID 32, Lic 256, Rev 4, 11 May 2010.
IBM. SPSS Statistics. 19.0.0.2 ed2010.
Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Health Survey: First Results 2011–12—4364055001. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2012.
Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey: Physical Activity 2011–12—4364055004. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2013.
Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Health Survey: Updated Results 2011–12—4364055003. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2013.
State Government Victoria. The Victorian Health Monitor Revised 2013. In: Department of Health, editor. Melbourne, 2013.
Tanamas SK, Magliano DJ, Lynch B, Sethi P, Willenberg L, Polkinghorne KR et al AusDiab 2012 The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study. Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute: Melbourne, Australia, 2013.
Australian Bureau of Statistics Prisoners in Australia, 2008—45170DO034. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2008.
Kellett E, Smith A, Schmerlaib Y . The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating Background information for nutrition educators. Department of Health and Family Services: Canberra, Australia, 1998.
National Health and Medical Research Council. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand including Recommended Dietary Intakes: Commonwealth of Australia; 2006 endorsed by the NHMRC on 9 September 2005.
Butler T, Milner L . The 2001 New South Wales Inmate Health Survey.In: Service CH (ed). 2003.
Butler T . 'Owned by nobody': Health Status and its Determinants Among New South Wales Prisoners [Doctoral thesis]. University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia, 2001.
Hinata M, Ono M, Midorikawa S, Nakanishi K . Metabolic improvement of male prisoners with type 2 diabetes in Fukushima Prison, Japan. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2007; 77: 327–332.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Biomedical Results 2012–13—4727055003. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2014.
Herbert K, Plugge E, Foster C, Doll H . Prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases in prison populations worldwide: a systematic review. Lancet 2012; 379: 1975–1982.
Ministry of Health Results From the Prisoner Health Survey 2005. Wellington Ministry of Health: New Zealand, 2006.
Ritter C, Stover H, Levy M, Etter JF, Elger B . Smoking in prisons: the need for effective and acceptable interventions. J Public Health Policy 2011; 32: 32–45.
Edwards JSA, Williams P, Hartwell HJ, Schafheitle J . Comments on prison foodservice: England vs. Australia. J Foodservice 2009; 20: 153–156.
Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey: Nutrition First Reults—Foods and Nutrients, 2011–12—4364055001. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Canberra, Australia, 2014.
Lykkesfeldt J, Christen S, Wallock LM, Chang HH, Jacob RA, Ames BN . Ascorbate is depleted by smoking and repleted by moderate supplementation: a study in male smokers and nonsmokers with matched dietary antioxidant intakes. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71: 530–536.
Acknowledgements
We thank the participants in the study and Queensland Corrective Services. This research received funding through Australian higher degree research student allowance.
Disclaimer
The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and in no way reflect the views or policies of Queensland Corrective Services.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hannan-Jones, M., Capra, S. Prevalence of diet-related risk factors for chronic disease in male prisoners in a high secure prison. Eur J Clin Nutr 70, 212–216 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2015.100
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2015.100
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Reliability of prisoners’ survey responses: comparison of self-reported health and biomedical data from an australian prisoner cohort
BMC Public Health (2022)
-
Medical nutrition therapy in Canadian federal correctional facilities
BMC Health Services Research (2019)