As the foundation of the medical, health, and nutrition sectors, science continues to advance our understanding of the human body, its needs and the impact of the food we eat. Explore the health of regional populations and the role soy might play.
The interconnectedness of human health and food cannot be overstated, especially as it relates to the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. According to the World Health Organization, 17 million people die each year from a non-communicable disease before the age of 70.[1] While cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, health concerns vary by region, as outlined below.
Southeast Asia: With a population of roughly 695 million, non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death, claiming 8.5 million lives each year. In order of significance, these include: cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer.
North America: Obesity is at crisis levels. In Canada, 30% of adults (ages 18+) were considered obese in 2022, and 35% of adults were considered overweight. Meanwhile, 41.9% of adults in the U.S. were considered obese in 2017 with 9.2% classified as severely obese.[2]
Africa: A unique region of the world, Africa faces a double food and nutrition security burden with the coexistence of malnutrition and diabetes. While diabetes is treatable, many patients, particularly children, still die because their families cannot afford the necessary health care.
Latin America: The most pressing health concern in this region is overweight. Additionally, the number of people aged 65 and older is forecast to double by 2050, reaching over 18% of the population. Meanwhile, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death.
Europe: The predominant cause of death is also cardiovascular disease, killing more than 10,000 people every day with more than 1 in 3 adults aged 30-75 having hypertension (the medical term for high blood pressure). It’s responsible for 42.5% of all deaths annually in the region.
The role of food and nutrition is imperative in helping people achieve and maintain wellbeing and reduce their risk of chronic diseases.
What we eat is considered an environmental factor that influences health, in positive and negative ways, explains the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Healthy diets with an optimal balance of nutrients help people accomplish daily physical activities and mental processes. Within your diet, a deficiency or excess of certain nutrients can affect health.[3]
That is where soy comes in.
“While the above statistics are a huge challenge for us to overcome, we have a good solution with soy protein and soybean oil,” said Julie Ohmen, Chief Executive Officer of the Soy Nutrition Institute (SNI) Global. SNI Global works to identify, develop, and fund soy-related research priorities and provide evidence of the impact of soy on human health.
Ohmen explained that proteins are a macronutrient needed by all humans. Protein contributes to the healthy function of cell growth and repairs.
However, she said not all proteins are created equal.
“Protein quality refers to the ability of protein to meet the biological requirements of essential amino acids,” she explained. “Soy protein isolate rates a 1 (the highest score of the PDCAAS value).”
PDCAAS is the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), and it is used to measure the quality of a protein in food and the body’s ability to absorb that protein. Values range from 0 to 1, with 1 being the highest possible score.
Soy protein isolate is a much better protein than other plant-based proteins, ranging in rank from .23 - .73 as shown in the image below, and is similar to animal proteins (ranging from .92 - 1).
Ohmen said researchers also know that consuming additional protein can aid and enhance the effects of resistance exercise, which builds muscle.
In a meta-analysis of nine clinical studies, researchers found no difference between the effects of supplementing with soy protein versus animal protein on gains in muscle mass and strength in response to resistance exercise.[4]
Additionally, Ohmen said soy protein is known to lower blood cholesterol levels. The first study demonstrating the benefit of soy protein on blood cholesterol levels was completed in 1967, so scientists have been studying soy protein and nutrition for more than 50 years, she shared.
Moreover, in 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (more commonly known as the FDA), came out with the following health claim “25 grams of soy protein per day as part of a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol may reduce heart disease.”
Then in 2017, the FDA issued a report in which they question the robustness of the cholesterol lowering effects of soy protein. In a meta-analysis of 46 randomized controlled trials, what scientists found is that soy protein significantly reduced LDL cholesterol by 3-4% in adults.
“This is relevant because over time it is thought that each 1% reduction in LDL cholesterol can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 2%,” Ohmen said.
Pour On the Soybean Oil
Soybean oil is often labeled as vegetable oil. Soybean oil is the most widely consumed oil in the United States and around the world, accounting for 7% of U.S. caloric intake and over 40% of the intake of the essential fatty acids that are needed by the human body (Omega 6 and Omega 3), Ohmen said. Linolenic acid has also been associated with a decreased risk of diabetes, cancer, and all-cause mortality.
But Ohmen said what makes soybeans truly unique is that it is a rich source of isoflavones, which vary based on variety and preparation, but on the whole each gram of protein in traditional soy foods delivers approximately 3.5 milligrams of isoflavones. For each gram of protein in modern soy foods (soy protein isolate powders and products of concentrated nature), they contain 1-3 milligrams of isoflavones.
Ohmen, who spoke at this year’s Soy Connext in San Francisco, shared that soy can be part of the solution to help combat obesity and decrease the risk cardiovascular diseases, inducing weight loss and preserving muscle mass.
She also said it can help aging populations by serving as a nutrient dense product, high quality protein, and a rich source of calcium for bone health.
The impacts of non-communicable diseases are felt in one way or another by nearly everyone – whether you are trying to get a grip on your own weight and cholesterol, or you’re managing employees who are battling health issues, or maybe you’ve lost a friend or loved one to a non-communicable disease.
Not only is it a personal struggle that touches nearly everyone in one way or another, but it is also extremely costly. The World Health Organization reports that $30 trillion in costs will be incurred by the global economy from 2011–2030 as a result of non-communicable diseases.[5]
While governments and private industries work through the nuances and legalese of creating policies around food systems, food labeling, incentives and healthcare directives, I’ll take more soy, please.
This story was partially funded by U.S. Soy farmers, their checkoff and the soy value chain.
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[1] World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases
[2]2022 Canadian Community Health Survey; CDC Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps
[3] National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/nutrition#:~:text=What%20we%20eat%20is%20considered,certain%20nutrients%20can%20affect%20health.
[4] International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2018, 28, 674-685.
[5] https://www.paho.org/en/topics/economics-ncds#:~:text=Over%20the%20period%202011%2D2030,people%20below%20the%20poverty%20line.
