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Soy product intake and premenopausal hysterectomy in a follow-up study of Japanese women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 55, pages 773–777 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: The estrogenicity of dietary soy may increase the risk of diseases, such as uterine leiomyoma and endometriosis, which originate from uterine tissue and are predominant indications for hysterectomy. We sought to determine whether soy product intake is associated with an increased risk of premenopausal hysterectomy.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Takayama City, Gifu, Japan.

Subjects: A cohort of 1172 female residents randomly selected from participants in the Takayama Study who were aged 35–54 and premenopausal at the time they entered the study in 1992.

Measurements: Diet including soy product and isoflavone intake was assessed by a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Information on the onset of menopause and hysterectomy were obtained by a follow-up mail questionnaire in 1998.

Results: During the 6 y study period, 31 women underwent premenopausal hysterectomies. The second tertile of isoflavone intake was significantly associated with an decreased risk of premenopausal hysterectomy compared to the lowest tertile of intake after controlling for age and total energy (rate ratio=0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.13–0.97), although the dose–response relationship was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: It is possible that soy product intake may be inversely associated with diagnoses leading to hysterectomy. Future studies focusing on specific diseases will be required to examine this possibility.

Sponsorship: Grants from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 773–777

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Author notes

  1. C Nagata: Guarantor: C Nagata.

  2. C Nagata, N Takatsuka, N Kawakami and H Shimizu: Contributors: CN designed and coordinated the study and had overall responsibility for data analysis and writing the paper. NT designed and coordinated for sample collection. NK and HS helped to design the study and undertook data interpretation. All the investigators contributed to writing the paper.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan

    C Nagata, N Takatsuka, N Kawakami & H Shimizu

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  1. C Nagata
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  2. N Takatsuka
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  3. N Kawakami
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  4. H Shimizu
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Correspondence to C Nagata.

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Nagata, C., Takatsuka, N., Kawakami, N. et al. Soy product intake and premenopausal hysterectomy in a follow-up study of Japanese women. Eur J Clin Nutr 55, 773–777 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601223

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