Soy foods may improve attention, information processing speed in kids

Key takeaways:

• Isoflavones from soy foods were associated with mental benefits in school-aged children.
• Tofu, tempeh and roasted edamame are good options for those looking to incorporate more soy into their diet.

CHICAGO — For children, consuming more isoflavones from soy foods was associated with better attention and faster information processing, according to the results of a correlational study at the annual NUTRITION meeting.

Isoflavones are natural compounds found in plants, especially soybeans and other soy products, according to a press release. Previous research has indicated that soy isoflavones might improve memory for adults, but the benefits for children are not well studied.

“Soy foods are often not a regular part of children’s diets in the United States,” Ajla Bristina, a neuroscience doctoral student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said in the release. “Our study adds evidence of the importance of nutrients found in soy foods for childhood cognition.”

Bristina and colleagues evaluated data from a previous cross-sectional study including 128 children aged 7 to 13 years. To assess average dietary intake, the researchers used information from 7-day diet records, and to evaluate intellectual ability, they used pencil and paper tests adjusted for grade level.

The researchers additionally used the computerized flanker task while recording EEG activity to measure attention and information processing speed.

“No other studies have examined the association between soy isoflavones and attentional abilities using EEG or similar measures to record electrical activity generated by the brain,” Bristina said in the release.

The children in the study overall consumed low amounts of isoflavone-containing soy foods. But the researchers found that those who did eat more soy foods exhibited quicker processing speed and responses during additional tasks. There was no association between isoflavone intake and general intellectual ability.

“The children in our study consumed an average of 1.33 mg of isoflavones per day, which while relatively low, aligns with previously reported values for the United States,” Bristina said in the release. “Soy consumption for individual participants ranged from 0 to 35 mg/day. To put this into perspective, an 8 fl oz serving of soy milk provides about 28 mg of isoflavones, a serving of tofu provides about 35 mg and half a cup of steamed edamame provides about 18 mg of isoflavones.”

Soynuts, soymilk, soy-based nuggets, tofu, tempeh and roasted edamame are good options for those looking to incorporate more soy into their diet, Bristina said.

Despite the promising results, Bristina noted that “correlational studies like this are only the first step.”

“To better understand the effects of eating soy foods on children’s cognitive abilities and the precise amount of isoflavone intake necessary to elicit faster response times will require intervention approaches,” Bristina said in the release.

References:

• Bristina A. Soy isoflavone consumption is associated with greater attentional inhibition among school-aged children. Presented at: NUTRITION; June 29-July 2, 2024.
• Eating more soy foods could improve thinking and attention in kids. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1048873. Published July 2, 2024. Accessed July 2, 2024.