Soy food consumption, cardiometabolic alterations and carotid intima-media thickness in Chinese adults

• We tested the association of soy intake and cardiometabolic disturbances.
• We tested the association of soy intake and carotid intima-media thickness.
• Soy intake was inversely correlated to the presence of high total cholesterol.
• The more soy intake, the lower presence of central obesity and hyperuricemia.
• Null association of soy intake with carotid intima-media thickness was noted.

Background and aimThe associations between soy food consumption, cardiometabolic disturbances and subclinical atherosclerosis remain controversial due to limited evidence. We examined the associations of habitual soy food consumption with cardiometabolic disturbances and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).Methods and resultsWe included 2939 subjects (2135 women and 804 men) aged 50–75 years in this community-based cross-sectional study. Dietary data and other covariates were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. We determined CIMT in relation to each subject's common carotid artery, internal carotid artery, carotid bifurcation, blood lipids, glucose and urine acid, blood pressure and waist circumference. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and linear regression was used to estimate the regression coefficient and 95% CIs. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that greater consumption of soy protein (6.1 vs. 0.5 g/d) was inverse associated with the presence of elevated total cholesterol (TC), dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity and hyperuricemia in women, and with abdominal obesity in men, although no significant sex-soy interactions were observed (P: 0.145–0.985). The consumption of soy protein and isoflavones was inversely associated with the number of cardiometabolic disturbances among women, but not men. There were no significant associations of soy protein and isoflavones with CIMT thickening and other cardiometabolic disturbances.ConclusionGreater soy consumption was associated with a lower presence of elevated TC, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia and less number of cardiometabolic disturbances components in women.