State Supreme Court: Inmates are being fed unhealthy diet

Associated Press | Reno Gazette-Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Prison inmates use music as therapy Inmates at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center participate in a music program to cope with life behind bars.

CARSON CITY — Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that inmates in the state are not being provided with healthy diets.

The Nevada Appeal reported Tuesday that Justices Michael Cherry, Ron Parraguirre and Lidia Stiglich wrote in their order issued July 27 that the inmates' diets have excessive amounts of fat and sodium.

The court rejected the department's argument that sodium is a necessary nutrient, and high levels of it don't mean that the diet is inadequate.

The justices ruled that corrections and the state's chief medical officer are still failing to report that standards for determining nutritional adequacy were followed, despite previous court orders asking them to do so.

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