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SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
ON THE ROLE OF SOY
IN PREVENTING AND TREATING CHRONIC DISEASESeptember 15-18, 1996
Brussells, Belgium
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
Satellite Symposium
Current Understanding of Soy and Infant Health
Asian Use of Soy Protein Formula and Soy Foods for Infants and Children.
Quak, S.H., Tan, S.P.
Department of Paediatrics, National University Hospital, Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074.The cultivation and consumption of soy bean had been known in Asian history for about 5 thousand years. Soy products are easily found in every household among Asian counties.
Asian children begin to take soy formula and soy products from very young. In a study of soy exposure in a group of healthy Singapore children, 70% had taken soy products, and more than 95% of these children had taken soy products before 18 months of life.
There are four common uses of soy products among Asian children:
1. For weaning. Like infants from other counties, Asian infants are weaned at about 4-5 months of age. Rice cereal is the first solid food taken by most infants. Soy proteins such tofu (bean curd) is the other common food item introduced during weaning. The reasons for using tofu is because it is soft, and high protein content. It can be easily chewed and swallowed by infants at this age.
2. Lactose intolerance. Among Asian population, late onset lactose intolerance is common. This affects the 60-70% of the population. The effected patients would develop abdominal distension, recurrent abdominal pain and flatulence after taking dairy products. Soy formula play an important part in this group of proteins. Not only providing a nutritional beverage, soy formulas also provide symptomatic treatment for these children.
Gastroenteritis is common during early childhood. Besides, secondary lactose intolerance is common among this group of children. Soy formula being a dairy product, is lactose free and is widely used in the dietary management for children with acute gastroenteritis.
3. Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPI). Though uncommon and affect <1% of the population, cow's milk protein intolerance is a serious disorder. In Singapore, most of the children with CMPI can tolerate soy protein and soy formula is a useful source of protein for children who cannot tolerate cow's milk protein.
4. Food flavouring. Various types of soy sauce are used in the traditional cooking of oriental cuisines. They are universal in household cooking and restaurants. Soy sauce is commonly used to flavor infants food such as rice porridge.
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