Characteristics of soy bread users and their beliefs about soy products

A two-stage random telephone/mail survey was conducted during the last quarter of 1998 among Adelaide residents to determine consumers' use of soy bread and other soy products and their health expectations of soy products. One in five (21%) of 1477 telephone subscribers usually consumed soy bread and related soy products. Comparisons of soy bread consumers and non-consumers, based on the mail survey sample, showed that more soy bread consumers used dietary supplements and ate low fat and vegetarian diets, though their experiences of ill health were similar. Soy bread consumers held stronger universalism (pro-nature) values than non-consumers. They also held more positive expectations about the benefits of soy consumption, including reductions in menstrual and menopausal symptoms, increased bowel regularity and reductions in the risk of heart disease and cancer. The findings are discussed in relation to the psychology of dietary supplementation, values orientations and physiological plausibility. Further investigations are suggested.