title: Cross-sectional dietary deficiencies among a prison population in Papua New Guinea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the dietary adequacy of prisoners of Beon Prison, Madang, Papua New Guinea in response to a report of possible nutritional deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook an observational, cross-sectional study. All 254 male inmates (May 2010) were eligible to answer a validated interview-based questionnaire; to have a comprehensive dietary assessment; and to provide blood for biochemical analysis (α-tocopherol, β-carotene, lutein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, homocysteine, zinc, ferritin, and vitamins A, B12 and C). Prison guards were invited to participate as a comparison group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  148 male prisoners (58.3%) and 13 male prison guards participated. Prison rations consisted of white rice fortified with thiamin, niacin, and iron, tinned tuna, tinned corned beef, water crackers, and black tea, with occasional intakes of fruit and vegetables. Some prisoners received supplementary food from weekend visitors. From assessment of the prisoners dietary data, median intakes of calcium (137 mg), potassium (677 mg), magnesium (182 mg), riboflavin (0.308 mg), vitamin A (54.1 μg), vitamin E (1.68 mg), vitamin C (5.7 mg) and folate (76.4 μg) were found to be below estimated average requirements (EAR).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prisoners diets are likely lacking in several micronutrients and recommendations for dietary change have been made to the prison authorities. Ongoing vigilance is required in prisons to ensure the basic human right of access to a nutritionally adequate diet is being observed.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tousignant
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brian
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: Rosalind
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Venn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001361:Avitaminosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins