Study: Female Inmates Gain More Weight During Confinement than Males
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Stockbyte/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A new study in the Journal of Obesity confirms that inmates tend to gain weight while behind bars, but determined that female prison inmates gain far more than do their male counterparts.
In fact, the study revealed that female offenders gained “significantly” more weight than male prisoners, and that race wasn’t a factor in the increase.
What’s more, the researchers determined that obesity was “prevalent” among female offenders, and that both male and female inmates, “were more likely to be overweight or obese compared to their non-offender counterparts.”
Incidentally, a non-profit called Gearing Up is attempting to combat the battle of the bulge with female prisoners by hosting spin classes at various facilities, including California’s Riverside Correctional Facility.
The organization also trains women “in transition” — that is the formerly incarcerated, victims of domestic violence, and recovering addicts — so that they can enjoy the health, social, and other benefits of biking.
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