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Soya fat fighter
Menopausal women who add some soya to their diets may help stave off belly fat, say researchers
Soya's plant hormones, called phyto-oestrogens, are similar in structure to the female sex hormone oestrogen. Some previous research has suggested that when levels of female sex hormones begin to fall with the menopause, phyto-oestrogens can partially mimic them and perhaps relieve symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats.
Now a study presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's annual conference by scientists from the University of Alabama, Birmingham and the University of Vermont reveals that soya may help prevent an accumulation of abdominal fat in menopausal women.
In the study, which is published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, 15 menopausal women were divided into two groups, one of whom was given a daily soya-based milkshake for three months.
Results showed there was not much difference in overall weight gain, but scans revealed a big difference in waistlines. While the nine soya-shake drinkers had reduced their abdominal fat, the six women from the other group who were drinking a dummy shake had accumulated more fat around their waistline.
For a good overview of phyto-oestrogens, please see the BMJ's Best Treatments website
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