Correlates of selected indices of physical fitness and duration of incarceration among inmates in some selected Nigeria prisons

Abstract

BackgroundIncarceration has been associated with reduced physical activity. However, physical inactivity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was therefore, to evaluate the incidence and relationship between the measures of physical fitness and the duration of incarceration in of inmates in Kano-Nigeria prisons.MethodA cross-sectional study was done to determine the relationship between the measures of physical fitness and the duration of incarceration of inmates in Kano prisons. Subjects' physical fitness level (cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index and waist circumference) was assessed using standardized protocols. Simple percentage, Pearson moment correlation test and student's t-test were used to analyze variables of interest.ResultOne hundred and sixteen inmates; 108 (93.1%) males and 8 (6.9%) females participated in the study. The study revealed high (93.1%) prevalence of low cardio-respiratory fitness among inmates and significant correlation between the selected indices of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index and waist circumference) and duration of incarceration.ConclusionThe prevalence of low cardio-respiratory fitness was high among inmates and long period of inadequate physical activity may be implicated as causative factor of low physical fitness among inmates in Kano prison. Prison administration and staff should encourage healthy inmate behavior. Provision of adequate facilities to encourage physical activity and sports participation is highly needed.

Inmates with Harmful Substance Use Increase both Exercise and Nicotine Use under Incarceration

“…Mannocci, Mipatrini [35] also found exercise frequency in Italian prisons to be negatively related to age, and positively related to physical health-related quality of life and non-Italian nationality, with no relationship between exercise and amount of cigarettes or education level. Furthermore, sentence duration was not an important predictor of exercise frequency in our analysis, in line with Manocci et al's findings but not those of Olaitan, Shmaila [34] in Nigeria.…”

Participation in a 9‐month selected physical exercise programme enhances psychological well‐being in a prison population

“…The social interaction facilitated by structured physical activity may provide the social support network needed for inmates to realise improvements in their life satisfaction (Fox, ). Moreover, regular and moderate exercise alleviates stress and facilitates the implementation of the educational goals laid out in the prison orientation programme (Amtmann, ), which are aimed at rehabilitating the prisoners and reducing the risk of recidivism after release (Olaitan et al, ). ‘Feeling good’ and ‘warm glow’ phenomena are consequences of regular and moderate physical activity (Fox, ).…”

Development of Strength in the Classes of Physical Education From Students in Prison

“…The majority of literature sources indicate the fact that at the age of 14 girls have 50 % of opportunities, while boys 60 %; at the age of 18, boys' muscle strength increases up to 90 %, while in girls of the same age it reaches only 60 %. As for maximum strength, girls have values 40 % lower than the absolute maximum strength of boys, the differences are determined by the quantity of androgenic hormones, whose evolution is similar to the development of muscle mass [9,13,16].…”