Patterns of Physical Activity Among Women Incarcerated in Jail
Ricky Camplain, Travis Pinn, Lyle Becenti, Heather J. Williamson, George Pro, Crystal Luna, James Bret
Abstract
The physical and mental health benefits of physical activity in all populations are well established. In 2019, incarcerated women at a Southwest county jail were observed during "recreation time," a time when physical activity is encouraged, to identify the proportion of women who participated in recreation time and their physical activity levels. During observed recreation times, 28% of women attended; 56% were sedentary, 4% engaged in vigorous physical activity, and approximately 40% walked or performed similarly moderate physical activity. Future research should identify barriers to being physically active while incarcerated, leading to targeted interventions to promote physical activity.