Table 4 The optimised Fit for LIFE programme

What is Fit for LIFE?

A 10-week, structured, manualised group-based health behaviour change programme tailored for delivery to incarcerated men. Weekly, 90-minute sessions are delivered by PEIs in prison gym facilities and include informative and interactive ‘classroom’ activities followed by a practical physical activity training session, often with group-based activities. Although no formal post-programme support is provided, it is emphasised during delivery that PEIs will be available to provide participants with ongoing support and advice about their physical activity, diet and weight, as long as they remain in the establishment.

What are the aims of Fit for LIFE?

To help participants to: increase physical activity; reduce sedentary time; eat more healthily; and use prison gym facilities on a regular basis, during the programme and after it finishes.

What does the Fit for LIFE dietary component entail?

An emphasis on the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet, both to attain and maintain a healthy weight, and to help participants feel better by having more energy. Participants are encouraged to identify sustainable changes they can make and set detailed, achievable goals which will enable them to reduce: consumption of foods high in fat and sugar; portion sizes; and sugar in tea/coffee, and increase consumption of fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread.

What does the Fit for LIFE physical activity component entail?

The importance of increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour is emphasised. Participants are shown how to gradually incorporate more physical activity into their daily routine through an incremental pedometer-based walking programme. Weekly group sessions include a physical activity component delivered using prison gym facilities. Participants are shown how to build up their activity levels gradually and get to experience a range of different physical activities in the gym so they can find an activity that they enjoy and can continue post-programme.

What makes Fit for LIFE suitable for delivery within the prison context?

The dietary and physical activity components of the programme comprise elements specifically designed to address common barriers to a healthy lifestyle within the prison context. These include: discussion of healthiest choices on prison menu/canteen lists; strategies for increased time in cells at evenings/weekends (e.g., how to sit/lie less and eat more healthily); and demonstration of in-cell workout options.