The diet of prisoners in England

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this research is to establish whether the meals provided by the prison service enable prisoners to follow government guidelines on nutrition and healthy eating, and the extent to which they do so. Design/methodology/approach -A total of eight prisons, four male (category A, B and C), two female and two young offenders' institutes were randomly identified and visited. Data collection involved taking three days of cyclical menus, the institution's recipes and methods and standard or average portion sizes to calculate the mean nutrient composition of standard, healthy, vegetarian/vegan and Halal menus. Menus were also analysed to establish how well they conformed to the "Balance of Good Health". Findings -Results show that, with the exception of some nutrients, prisoners have access to and are able to choose a nutritionally balanced diet and in the main do so. All prisons have attempted to make available menus that conform to the Balance of Good Health model; however, in some cases, choice is hampered, primarily because menus have not been annotated accurately; some dishes are not always as healthy as they might or could be; and prisoners in most cases do not actually understand what constitutes a healthy balanced diet. Originality/value -There is a paucity of data on prison food service and as such this original work adds to the body of knowledge in the field.

The Diet of Inmates

“…In contrast, whole grains were not provided in accordance with MyPlate guidelines, nor were fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, a finding also reported by Collins and Thompson (2012) for prisons in South Carolina. Inadequate provisions of fruits and vegetables also have been documented in studies of menus used in correctional facilities in the United Kingdom and Australia (Edwards et al, 2007;Williams et al, 2009).…”

Dealing food: Female drug users’ narratives about food in a prison place and implications for their health

“…Similarly, existing literature about prison food and nutrition offers guidance on how to comply with nutritional standards, legal requirements, and budgetary and security issues (e.g. Brisman, 2008; Cray, 2001; Edwards, Hartwell, Reeve, & Schafheitle, 2007; Foster, 2006; Herbert, Plugge, Foster, & Doll, 2012; Stein, 2000; Tammam, Gillam, Gesch, & Stein, 2012; Wakeen, 2008), and describes interventions to improve prisoner diets and help inmates lose weight (Eves & Gesch, 2003; Khavjou et al, 2007; Nikolas, 2000; Robinson, Haupt-Hoffman, Stewart, Schneider, Hamm, & Garrison, 2006). …”

Improving the Health of Older Prisoners: Nutrition and Exercise in Correctional Institutions

“…This study fills gaps in the literature by presenting perspectives of two groups who discussed the practical issues of quality of food and physical activity. Other studies to date capture the perspective of either the prison administrators or prisoners (Edwards et al, 2007; Herbert et al, 2012; Smith, 2002; Vanhouche, 2015), but not older prisoners. By highlighting the voices of the participants on this topic, we underline the challenges and provide recommendations to address the noted problems.…”

“…An examination of meals provided to prisoners in England revealed that prisoners have access to a nutritionally balanced diet, but they lack understanding of what comprises a healthy diet (Edwards, Hartwell, Reeve, & Schafheitle, 2007). Other studies investigating prison food services discussed problems with limited budgets and special dietary requirements (Collins & Thompson, 2012; Elger, 2016; Foster, 2006).…”