Soy product consumption and type 2 diabetes among adults in Beijing, China

To examine the association between the frequency of soy products consumption and type 2 diabetes or impaired fasting glucose.

A cross-sectional study of 3,314 subjects aged 18-79 years was conducted in Beijing, China in 2016. Consumption of soy products was assessed by a validated food-frequency questionnaire and examined with type 2 diabetes or impaired fasting glucose risk using multiple logistic regression.

509 of the 3,314 participants (15.4%) included in the current analyses had diabetes, and among them 453 were diabetes uncontrolled. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 11.9%. After adjustment for demographic variables, smoke, alcohol, physical activity and BMI, soy products consumption was inversely associated with type 2 diabetes risk and impaired fasting glucose. ORs and 95% CI for diabetes uncontrolled across soy products consumption frequencies (monthly, weekly, daily) were 1 (reference), 0.819 (0.627-1.070), 0.605 (0.387, 0.944) respectively (ptrend=0.033). ORs (95% CI) for impaired fasting glucose across soy products consumption frequencies were 1 (reference), 0.873 (0.661-1.152), 0.616 (0.385, 0.985) respectively (ptrend=0.046).

Consuming soy products daily may decrease the risk of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose.