Abstract

“The food [in prison] is designed to slowly break your body and mind” (Lela Nargi 2022). According to the UNHCR, the “right to food” indicates that every person, at all times, should have food available; this includes physically and economically in reach. However, since the 19th century, prisons have always sustained a poor diet, intended to discipline prisoners. This paper discusses how prison food is used as a punishment, and as a measure of control, through portion control and nutrient deficiency. This paper delves into the detrimental effects of prison food on prisoners’ bodies and minds due to insufficient amounts of nutrients that, undeniably, cause lifelong health problems.

Introduction

Article 25(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states: “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing….”. Furthermore, food is a subcategory under categories “health” and “well-being”. This basic right to food includes within its fold food availability, accessibility, adequacy, and sustainability. For instance, food must be available and affordable; only then can it be truly accessible. Food must also be safe and fulfil dietary needs oriented around health and living conditions for it to be considered adequate. Lastly, food must sustain both present and future generations for it to be categorised as sustainable. But do prison systems around the world respect the right to food of prisoners?

“The food [in prison] is designed to slowly break your body and mind.” (Lela Nargi, 2022)

Evidence from prison systems around the world indicates that there is a food crisis in prisons. Prison food is designed with small portions and low nutritional value as punishment towards inmates. A majority of prisons serve low-nutrient meals that are high in carbs, sodium and sugar (Brown, 2021), which later contribute to life-long health conditions. Evidence of such low portions is present in the Butte-Silver County jail where inmates are served the equivalent of 1,782 calories per day (Santo & Laboni, 2015), despite the recommended intake being 2,500 calories for men and 2,000 calories for women. Such food practices lead to long-term health concerns. The absence of important nutrients in food, small portions, and low-calorie meals can cause health issues, including osteoporosis and a weakened immune system. In other prisons where the recommended calories are served, such as the Georgia Gordon County Jail, the duration between meals is 10-14 hours rather than the recommended 3–4 hours. Thus, inmates have breakfast and then must wait long hours before they can eat again. Beyond this, some prisons provide inmates with food labelled “not for human consumption”, and spoilt food such as slimy salad mixes, mouldy bread, and sour milk (Soble, Stroud & Weinstein, 2020). The long wait between meals, combined with the inhumane choice of forcing inmates to either go hungry or eat spoilt food, frequently causes inmates to go hungry, resulting in detrimental physiological effects. Some establishments also fail to serve hot meals to inmates (HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, 2016). In other prisons, prisoners with medical or religious dietary requirements have little choice in the food they receive, as their options lack variety (HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, 2016); for example, Muslim prison inmates have been fed non-Halal meals (HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, 2016). 

The physical health of inmates is also severely compromised by the lack of sanitary food conditions – a common problem in many prisons. Unsanitary food preparation increases the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses, and the long-term effects of these poor dietary conditions frequently go beyond the walls of the prisons, with released inmates continuing to struggle with unhealthy eating habits and health problems.

A lack of nutrients in prison food diets also has a disastrous impact on the mental health of inmates. Poor quality food that lacks essential nutrients like fatty acids worsens mental health issues, which contributes to an increase in anxiety, depression and possibly violent behaviour. The absence of a balanced meal not only impairs cognitive function and decision making, but also leads to a vicious cycle of substance abuse and extremely unhealthy coping methods. Furthermore, the psychological impact of starving for food and the stress of an unsanitary eating environment can have long-lasting effects, even hindering their process of rehabilitation. This paper addresses how poor prison food impacts the physical and mental health of prisoners.

Research Question

• How does prison food, with the intent of being a punishment, damage a prisoner’s physical and mental health? 

Research Aims

This paper traces the history of prison food practices to understand why it has been used as a means of punishment. It explores how using food as a means of punishment magnifies the physical and mental health challenges of prisoners, both inside prisons as well as once prisoners are released. This paper also sheds light on why the right to adequate food is as crucial a right for a prisoner as it is for a “free person”.

I. Why Is Food Used as a Means of Punishment?

Why is food used as a means of punishment in prisons? The answer is simple: by causing starvation, prisoners’ conformity increases (Avala, 2024). In the United States of America, a famous food used as punishment for inmates who misbehave is Nutraloaf; it is made up of ground beef, beans, breadcrumbs and vegetables, and has a repulsive, unpleasant taste. The prisoners are fed Nutraloaf as a form of mental torture; by doing this, the guards remind prisoners of the power they hold over them, including dictating what and when the prisoners eat. Prisoners are fed the same meal at a time controlled by the guards. Thus, the guards use food as a means of control and to reinforce the prisoners’ lack of power and autonomy. This evidence suggests that using food as a means of punishment serves to weaken inmates so that they lack both the mental and physical strength to retaliate against the guards of the institution. Also, since inmates are already confined, there are limited options for further punishment aside from techniques or practices that affect the prisoner psychologically, such as starvation. Starving the inmates is, arguably, beneficial as it leads to prisoners having low energy. This particularly benefits prison institutions with a limited number of officers as inmates are easier to control (Spear, 2023).

In addition to starvation as a means of punishment, the environment in which prisoners are served food could also serve as punishment. Many prisoners eat in unhygienic conditions, some with little space and close to their toilet (Spear, 2023), others in mouldy chow halls. Being forced to eat unpleasant food in an unsanitary environment affects the mental health of inmates (Soble, Stroud & Weinstein, 2020). Scientific evidence reveals that eating in stressful environments that lack natural light and have high noise levels has long-term effects on inmates. For instance, some formerly incarcerated inmates continue to have negative relationships with food, problems with maintaining their weight, and poor body function ability (Soble, Stroud & Weinstein, 2020). It can also lead to eating disorders and other mental health problems, such as suicidal thoughts when presented with stressful situations and mood swings (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, 2017). 

This section has argued how food is used as a coercive tool to keep the prisoner in check. The next section delves deeper into how poor prison food diet and practices negatively impacts the physical health of prisoners.

II. Food and Prison: The Deteriorating Body in the Prison Cell

Due to the poor prison diet, there is an increase in illness and weight fluctuation in prisons. In a study done by the American Public Health Association, prisoners contract illnesses at a rate of 45 per 100,000 population, compared to 7 per 100,000 free people. One of the primary causes of sickness in prisons are the unsafe regulations surrounding food preparation. Most prisons are not built to accommodate efficient food service, and kitchens are usually cheaply built as an afterthought. Smaller, confined kitchens can lead to more safety hazards, as the food is frequently left out for an extended period of time, allowing it to go bad (Brown & Fassler, 2018). A former prison food worker, Steve Pine, was fired because he refused to serve the prisoners rotten potatoes. According to the Counter, there have been multiple cases of inmates being served spoilt food. Recently, an inmate was dismissed from a suit for a case involving a mouldy and spoilt sandwich, since prisons are not required to serve delicious food, only food for functioning.

Some of the state prisons rely on prison labour for food arrangements, however most of these inmates do not have the proper training on food safety. 26% of food-related sickness is because of sick inmates handling the food, while 14% of prison outbreaks are from utensils that are not properly cleaned. In addition to the unsanitary conditions in which prisoners’ food is prepared, they are also given small portions and are only fed twice a day. At Gordon County Jail, prisoners only receive two meals a day, which is not enough to satisfy their hunger, and there have been reports of prisoners consuming toothpaste and toilet paper (Santo & Laboni, 2015). A few prisoners at Schuylkill County Prison in Pennsylvania filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, claiming the portions they receive are “not even enough to fill a five-year-old child” (Santo & Laboni, 2015). Due to the small portions and low-calorie meals, many prisoners lose weight and start to develop chronic conditions. They also become increasingly desperate for food as time goes on, trying to find anything edible. “That was a constant theme throughout my incarceration: ‘How can I fill up my stomach?’” said Helie Gantan, a Californian inmate who echoes the same complaint of millions of prisoners around the world (Santo & Laboni, 2015). In a survey done by the Institute of Justice, 94% of former inmates claimed that they never had enough food to feel full. At Butte-Silver Bow County Jail in Montana, inmates complained about the amount of food, “contacting a local newspaper claiming they were not getting enough to eat”. The inmates at the jail averaged 2,031 calories a day, which is less than the recommended daily intake of 2,400-2,800 calories for men.

This lack of food supply is a result of state prisons spending very little on their meals, despite the fact that money is provided to improve the state of the prisons. Prisons spend far less on meals than the USDA’s recommended $10 per day, which leads to nutrient-deficient diets. For example, state prisons spend under $3 a day per meal per person (unless in extreme cases where the food costs $1.02) (Soble, Stroud, & Weinstein, 2020). Another example of prisons spending a small fraction of the dedicated money is Sheriff Greg Barlett from Morgan County, Alabama, who in 2009 was sued for using over $200,000 of money meant for the prison for his own personal account (Santo & Laboni, 2015). 

When prisoners are done with their sentences, many of them fall into unhealthy eating habits, like bingeing. Bingeing, in a food context, is the act of consuming an excessive amount of food. “I had to get back into the motion of meal planning. Once I was able to lay out what I was going to eat, and how much [food] do I need for these meals, it helped me put down the extra box of pancake mix and think, ​‘Okay, I don’t really need [this] because [it’s] going to be there the next time,’” said Heile Gantan, a former prisoner (Santo & Laboni, 2015). Most prisoners have the problem of bingeing once they are released from prison as they are now able to access food and end up eating as much food as they can, which causes them to gain extra weight. As a result, Gantan started the practice of meal planning, which illustrated her attempts to navigate her bingeing and hoarding of food after her release. This further proves our point of how prison food negatively impacts the physical health of prisoners, through weight loss and weight gain. Prisoners are also likely to develop diseases due to their malnutrition: “a person going into prison, even if they’re healthy, is likely going to leave with chronic health conditions, whether physical or mental,” said activist Kathuria of At Food & Abolition (Nargi, 2022). 

Prison food practices have long been criticised for their dangerous effects on inmates’ health, contributing to both immediate and long-term physical and mental health issues. The lack of nutritional content and the unsafe preparation of prison food are significant factors that worsen these health problems. While prisons are obligated to provide meals that meet the basic caloric needs, the reality is that many prisons fail to deliver the minimal requirement, which leads to vast malnutrition among inmates. The lack of proper nutrition in prison meals is often a result of budget constraints and the unfortunate prioritisation of saving money over inmates’ well-being. 

One potential solution to these issues is the implementation of alternative food practices that prioritise health and efficiency within the constraints of prison budgets. For example, some prisons, such as the Sulkava Prison in Finland and Storstrøm prison in Denmark, have experimented with sustainable practices such as prison gardens, where inmates are able to grow fresh produce that can act as a supplement for their meals (Vincet, 2023; Vincet, 2024). These programmes not only provide healthier food options but also offer prisoners the opportunity to engage in productive work and to be taught valuable life skills, in turn potentially preventing some prisoners from falling back into a life of crime once out of jail (Vincet, 2023; Vincet, 2024). Additionally, partnerships with local farms or food companies could provide prisons with affordable, nutritious food while supporting local economies. By distributing resources and investing in such programmes, prisons could massively improve their food quality while staying in their set budget. 

The physical health of prisoners is directly impacted by the food they consume. Diets that are lacking nutrition can lead to plenty of chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Poor calorie intake can result in significant weight loss, which can weaken inmates’ immune systems and make them more susceptible to illnesses (Afsharian, 2023). On the contrary, the sudden availability of food once released can lead to bingeing and very quick weight gain, as former inmates have trouble adapting to a much more stable food environment. This cycle of food deprivation and overeating has lasting effects on physical health, contributing to the development of lifelong health issues that are a burden on both the individuals and the larger healthcare system. 

Furthermore, the unsanitary conditions in which prison food is prepared and served can lead to outbreaks of illnesses. Inmates often suffer from gastrointestinal problems, which are worsened by the lack of proper medical care for the incarcerated. The common spread of diseases within prisons is not just a health issue for inmates, but also poses a threat to the wider community when some inmates are eventually released. Infections caught from unsanitary food practices can be carried with an individual into their communities, which would create public health concerns that would extend past prison walls. 

Different food practices such as those adopted in the aforementioned Scandinavian prisons, demonstrate that it is indeed possible to provide healthier, safer, and even more satisfying meals to inmates within a reasonable budget. By reconsidering the way food is prepared and served in prisons, institutions can address the critical health issues facing inmates and could reduce the long-term costs associated with treating chronic diseases that may emerge from poor nutrition. These changes require a shift in perspective, viewing inmates not as burdens but as human beings who deserve basic dignity and care. 

The current state of prison food practices is a public health crisis that requires urgent change. By exploring alternative food practices and investing in the health of inmates, prisons can create an environment that supports rehabilitation and not intensifying health issues. These changes are not only possible but are necessary to ensure that prisons fulfil their role in society without compromising the health and well-being of the community they live in. 

III. Food and Prison: The Deteriorating Mind in the Prison Cell

Mental health is a state of mental well-being, focusing on emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is extremely significant in controlling stress levels, learning, and working well with others, and positively contributing to a community. Having focused on how prison food impacts the physical health of the prisoner in the previous section, this section maps the mental health impact of prison food and practices on inmates.

There is an ongoing mental health crisis in prisons around the world and many prisoners do not receive any mental health support while they are in prison. For example, it has been previously reported that a staggeringly low 10% of prisoners in the United Kingdom receive treatment for mental health issues, while an estimated 70% are estimated to suffer from a minimum of one undiagnosed disorder (Shilson-Thomas, 2020). Prison, regardless of the food crisis, will undoubtedly have an already detrimental effect on a prisoner’s mind, given the separation from family, loss of autonomy, boredom and lack of purpose, and unpredictability of surroundings. 

The numbers will definitely be more prominent in areas where prison food diet is a problem. The link between diets and mental health has been discussed in one such review stating that while a Western diet pattern is negatively associated with depression, a Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with the risk of depression (Poulter et al, 2024). This is because Western diets are characterised by red meat, fried foods, processed meat, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products. On the other hand, a Mediterranean diet consists of whole grains, fish, and beans. Given a prisoner’s limited choice they must live off a diet involving a Western diet, which due to its high level of refined sugars can cause impaired brain function and promote inflammation and oxidative stress (Selhub, 2022; Rahe et al., 2014).

Ultimately, most prison food consists of low-cost grains in bread, cereal, rice, etc, which all share the basis of being classified as simple carbohydrates. These types of carbohydrates are simple bits of glucose, and while glucose is good for you, it is not so great over time. Simple carbohydrates are easy for the body to break down since they are small, but that means that energy only lasts for a short period of time, after which one needs to eat more glucose again. Progressively, glucose will get stored in one’s body as excess and gets converted into sugar resulting in reactive hypoglycaemia. In comparison, complex carbohydrates found in vegetables are longer strands of glucose, which are harder for the body to break down, which means more energy for the day. Additionally, the brain needs energy to work, and can only get that energy from carbohydrates. By eating simple carbohydrates, one will only be able to focus for short periods of time (Haverland, 2022).

The World Health Organisation’s prison health framework aims to refine the assessment of prisons’ health system performance and improve the quality of data collected by the periodic Health in Prisons European Database (HIPED) surveys, which inform progress on their main goal of achieving satisfactory care for people living in prison (The WHO Prison Health Framework, 2021). Although one of the goals of the WHO includes the prisoners’ access to adequate nutrition, evidence states that prisoners are either choosing a diet that fails to meet positive nutrient intakes, or as previously stated, the prisoners are not given enough options that can help them meet the recommended nutrition levels. 

A reported effect of this choice limitation in prisons worldwide is the recurring problem of drug use. Although it can be stated that this may have already been a problem in prisons for some prisoners, one of the causes can actually be drug use as a substitution for food, thus, using drugs as a coping mechanism to take one’s mind off of hunger (National Drugs Library, 2020). Once addicted, actions to revert addiction are incredibly arduous as the person’s brain now believes that drugs are just as important as food and water. Therefore, instead of reaching for a piece of bread (normally considered unhealthy but definitely healthier than drugs), prisoners will gravitate towards drugs. However, it can also be argued that it is the poor mental health issues like depression and anxiety caused by insufficient diets that make prisoners gravitate towards drugs. As stated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), some mental disorders are risk factors for developing a substance use disorder (NIH, 2018). A potential cause for prisoner’s poor mental health can be the insufficient Western diet choice, or even just a diet which includes high fat and high sugar, which can impact the parts of the brain called the amygdala (responsible for anger, sorrow, fear, and sexual arousal) and hippocampus (responsible for learning and motivation) (Selhubb, 2022). The negative effects on these areas of the brain may encourage depression and anxiety, leading to reduced self-control and triggering addiction-like behaviours, resulting in potential drug abuse.

The NIH conducted further research into another common occurrence in prison: violence. Focusing on jails, such as those in a north-eastern state in America, they sought to discover the number of people who have been physically or sexually harmed. They harboured and surveyed 20,477 inmates across 14 facilities. They found that around 20% of female inmates and 25% of male inmates were victims of physical assault, carried out by another inmate or a guard. The definition of physical violence was characterised as hitting, slapping, kicking, biting, choking, beating up, or being hurt with a weapon. All who were surveyed claimed that some of the incidences did involve weapons. Prison food does not include omega 3, a fatty acid that contributes to 35% of brain cell membranes which are crucial for neurons to send and receive messages, such as directions for controlling your body. This is why young children, as early as two and a half, need this nutrient to kickstart their brain development. Studies have showed that children who did not meet the recommended intake of omega 3 participated in more physical hostility and resistance – the same can be applied to inmates (Taylor-Nicholson & Krisberg, 2013).

As mentioned before, mental illnesses are arguably one of the reasons for violence in prison. Unfortunately, it has been shown that those with a mental illness participate in more violent behaviour than others. If inmates have already been diagnosed with a mental illness prior to their sentence, the unhealthy diet does not make the situation any better, let alone the fact that there are possibilities that their mental health can worsen while incarcerated. Along with this, other people who have witnessed violence will be inevitably traumatised. This may lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms such as anxiety, depression, hypersensitivity, hypervigilance, suicidality, flashbacks, and hindered emotional regulation (Dholakia, 2023). Even though treatments are available, it’s unfortunately difficult to heal the scars left due to the conditions in prison cells. 

The Scandinavian prisons of Denmark and Finland display a contrasting picture to the examples discussed above. In Denmark, 65% of prisoners prepare and cook (trained by chefs) their own meals in a shared kitchen. Twice a week, they shop for groceries in the prison’s grocery shop, learning life skills like budgeting, and eat together alongside prison guards. Prisoners have announced that life feels healthy and clean, being able to balance well-curated diets, cooking, outside exposure, and family visits. In Finland, many prisoners fish in the summer for their own food and hunt for mushrooms and lingonberries. Additionally, salad bars and rye bread are provided. Many have commented in both prisons that they feel useful, normal, dignified, and ready to re-enter the world better equipped. A report by Think Through Nutrition has shown that changing the diet improves mental health and decreases violence and prison infractions by 37% (Vincet, 2024).

Beyond the prison cell, even when the prisoner is released, the detrimental effects caused by prison food do not simply wear away. Besides the repulsive menu, prison decreases portion size. This encourages a mindset of, “I don’t know when I’ll ever get this much food again”. Accordingly, once an inmate returns home, they find themselves eating whatever they can get their hands on, which is a gruelling habit to break. Many previously incarcerated individuals have reported that eating has become their way of coping with stress. The problem with eating away worries is that it is not an effective way of understanding emotions and the root of the problem; it is only a short-term fix. This endless cycle of bingeing and over-eating, and using food as a coping mechanism for stress, eventually leads to high blood pressure, heart diseases, and more health challenges. 

Moreover, one former prisoner expressed that, “if you’re concerned about what you eat, you’re concerned about yourself”. Overeating out of loss of control can create body dysmorphia or other body image issues. Furthermore, prison food creates a loss of self-worth. Many prisoners feel that if they are not valued enough to deserve adequate and nutritious amounts of food, a fundamental right, then what will they ever be good enough for? Jeopardising such confidence may lead to disinterest in seeking new opportunities like finding a job, re-integrating into society, or even going out to socialise with loved ones. 

Conclusion

The food crisis in prisons shows the inhuman treatment inmates go through during incarceration. Food is used as a form of punishment and as a measure of control in prisons, and through this punishment, guards sustain power over prisoners. While the UDHR’s provision on the right to food has emphasised that food must be accessible and should have adequate portions etc., the reality for the prisoners is quite different. Prison food consists of low nutrients, small portions, and is commonly prepared in unsanitary conditions. The lack of adequate nutrients in meals contributes to poor mental well-being, along with unwanted physical changes. The detrimental effects of the prison food diet and practices follow the prisoner even once they are released from prison. Many former prisoners deal with long-term effects that consist of unhealthy habits, such as illness and drug abuse. If we want prisoners to easily integrate back into society upon release, it is crucial to take steps to improve prison food diet and practices.

A viable solution to this crisis includes measures taken by Scandinavian countries, such as rehabilitation through cooking classes, balance of outdoor exposure through productive activities like fishing and berry picking, and time to socialise with guards and other inmates. In conclusion, it can be deduced that similar protocols and actions must be taken globally to support inmates and their right to adequate food.

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