Assessment Of Nutritional Status Of Prison Inmates In Abia State Of Nigeria Using Umuahia And Aba Prisons As A Case Study

ABSTRACT

The nutritional status of 149 prison inmates was determined using anthropometry and dietary survey. The anthropometric measurements used were weight, height biceps, triceps, sub-scapular, abdomen and supra-iliac while the dietary survey used was weighed food intake. The subjects were selected randomly from Umuahia and Aba prisons and the age range was l4years.omonth to 74.Oyears. Based on the data, the BMI was established for the subjects for sexes, ages and length of imprisonment. 11.3% of the female inmates had normal weight for their age, 88.7% of the male inmates had normal weight for their age, both for the 14.Omonth to 74.Oyears age group in the both prisons. The subjects generally had normal BMI except for 24.8% that were overweight and 2.0% of the subjects that were obese and underweight respectively. Subjects generally had normal height for their age and consequently normal height for their weight. From the dietary survey, it was found that generally, the subjects consumed more carbohydrate and protein foods. The mean protein, carbohydrate and energy intakes for the subjects 35.68±1.41g, 2978.2 ±2.20 and 2929.84±1.51 respectively.