Three-day dietary intake of incarcerated and nonincarcerated adolescent males

We collected 3-day dietary intake information from both incarcerated (n = 137) and nonincarcerated (n = 42) adolescent males to provide an objective assessment of diets of residents of a juvenile correctional facility. Average daily intake of energy, protein, 13 indicator micronutrients and of macronutrients as percent of energy were calculated. Average intakes of the total group of adolescents (n = 179) were greater than 90% of the 1980 recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for energy, protein, and 10 micronutrients. There were no statistically significant differences between black (n = 63) and white (n = 63) incarcerated subgroups and white (n = 41) nonincarcerated subjects on average measures of energy, protein, macronutrients as percent of energy, and seven micronutrients. Cumulative intakes (as a proportion of the 1980 RDA) of nonincarcerated subjects and at least one group of incarcerated subjects were significantly different for vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, iron, sodium, and thiamin. However, average intakes of vitamin C, sodium, and iron by all groups exceeded the RDA. Overall, the total group of adolescents did not appear to be at significant nutritional risk. Folate, copper, and magnesium intakes were consistently below RDA in all groups. We suggest that these findings are not indicative of nutritional inadequacy but are, rather, cues that some RDAs may be inappropriately high.