title: Fitness levels and physical activity among class A drug users entering prison.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity could benefit drug users' physiological and mental health. Previous research has suggested that physical activity levels change when drug users enter prison.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five class A drug users who were new to prison answered physical activity and drug use cross-sectional questionnaires, took a submaximal fitness test and wore a pedometer for 1 week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' mean aerobic capacity was estimated as 49 mls O2/kg/min (±12 SD). Their mean self-reported walking distance outside of prison was 4.67 miles on an average day (±4.14 SD). Pedometer data suggest they walked a mean of 1.8 miles/day in prison.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many class A drug users entering prison had high levels of fitness and physical activity before admission, often gained from walking. Walking activity reduced when they entered prison, posing a challenge to maintaining healthy activity levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Public Health, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. j.fi scher@brookes.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dawes
authors.forename: Charlie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neale
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Plugge
authors.forename: Carly
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Nat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055030:Drug Users / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult