Bodyweight Perceptions among Texas Women: The Effects of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, and Citizenship Status

Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157–173, 1995) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regression models to determine the relative risk of women perceiving themselves as overweight. Results indicate that religious attendance lowers risk of women perceiving themselves as very overweight. Citizenship status was an important factor for Latinas, with noncitizens being less likely to see themselves as overweight. We also test interaction effects between religion and race. Religious attendance and prayer have a moderating effect among Latina non-citizens so that among these women, attendance and prayer intensify perceptions of feeling less overweight when compared to their white counterparts. Among African American women, the effect of increased church attendance leads to perceptions of being overweight. Prayer is also a correlate of overweight perceptions but only among African American women. We close with a discussion that highlights key implications from our findings, note study limitations, and several promising avenues for future research

Nutrients, antioxidant and sensory attributes of juice produced from Malay rose apple (Syzygium malaccense) fruit.

Background: Fruit juices are rich sources of micronutrients and their consumption with meals of plant origin with low iron bioavailability is encouraged. Objective: The study determined the nutrients, antioxidant and sensory attributes of juice produced from malay rose apple. Methods: Malay rose apple was bought from Ndoro market in Ikwuano local government area, Abia state. One thousand two hundred grams of malay rose apple fruit was chopped, blended using electric blender (3 minutes), opoured into a mixing bowl, filtered with muslin cloth and100g sugar added. The juice was pasteurized at 80oC for 3 minutes, divided into 2 and ginger added to one portion. Proximate, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of the juices were determined using standard methods. Sensory attributes of the experimental and commercial pineapple (control) juices were assessed with a 9- point Hedonic scale. All tests were carried out in duplicates and the data generated statistically analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Protein composition ranged between 1.02–1.06%. The predominant mineral and vitamin were phosphate (99.76-105.5 mg/100g) and β-carotene (2720-2815µg/100g).  Riboflavin and niacin, phenol, alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins were below 1mg/100g. Colour and flavour (7.15 and 7.05, respectively) of malay rose apple juices with ginger were comparable to those of pineapple juice (7.45 and 6.95, respectively) but the taste (7.40) of the juice with ginger was more acceptable than others. Conclusion: The juice without ginger had higher values of vitamins C, B1 B2, and B3, while the juice with ginger had higher β-carotene, vitamin E and antioxidant activity. Malay rose apple juice with ginger was more acceptable.Keywords: Malay rose apple, nutrients and sensory evaluation