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Observational Study
. 2021 Jul 5:12:667029.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.667029. eCollection 2021.

Association of Soy and Exclusive Breastfeeding With Central Precocious Puberty: A Case-Control Study

João Soares Felício  1 , Angélica Leite de Alcântara  1 , Luísa Corrêa Janaú  1 , Lorena Vilhena de Moraes  1 , Maria Clara Neres Iunes de Oliveira  1 , Manuela Nascimento de Lemos  1 , Norberto Jorge Kzan de Souza Neto  1 , João Felício Abrahão Neto  1 , Wanderson Maia da Silva  1 , Ícaro José Araújo de Souza  1 , Nivin Mazen Said  1 , Gabriela Nascimento de Lemos  1 , Giovana Miranda Vieira  1 , André Salim Khayat  1 , Ândrea Kely Campos Ribeiro Dos Santos  1 , Natércia Neves Marques de Queiroz  1 , Ana Carolina Contente Braga de Sousa  1 , Márcia Costa Dos Santos  1 , Franciane Trindade Cunha de Melo  1 , Pedro Paulo Freire Piani  1 , Karem Miléo Felício  1
Affiliations
Observational Study

Association of Soy and Exclusive Breastfeeding With Central Precocious Puberty: A Case-Control Study

João Soares Felício et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Introduction: While soy is suggested as a possible risk factor, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has a likely protective effect in precocious puberty. Our aim was to evaluate the association between both of these variables with central precocious puberty (CPP).

Methods: We performed a retrospective, case-control study. A total of 161 girls were divided into two groups: 84 patients diagnosed with CPP composed the case group and 77 patients without the diagnosis of CPP (had gone through normal onset of puberty) were the control group.

Results: Our control group had a higher presence of EBF >6 months, which was an important protective factor for CPP (OR: 0.5; IC 95%: 0.3-0.9, p = 0.05) and also correlated negatively with the presence of it (r = -0.2; p < 0.05). Oppositely, the use of soy was significantly higher in the CPP group, (OR: 3.8; IC 95%: 1.5-6, p < 0.05) and positively correlating (r = 0.2; p < 0.01) with the presence of CPP. Duration of soy intake (years) correlated with bone age (r = 0.415; p < 0.05). A logistic regression was performed to evaluate the effects of EBF duration and soy on CPP. The model was significant (x² (2) = 20,715, p = <0.001) and explained 12.2% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance, correctly classifying 62.5% of cases. EBF was associated with a reduction of likelihood of having CPP [OR = 0,187 (CI = 0.055-0,635); Wald = 7,222, p = 0.007], while soy intake increased the risk [OR = 3.505 (CI) = 1,688-7,279, Wald = 11,319, p = 0.001].

Conclusion: Our data found the use of soy was associated with CPP. Additionally, EBF was pointed as a protective factor. However, future prospective studies are needed to clarify this issue.

Keywords: endocrine interferer; exclusive breastfeeding; infantile nutrition; precocious puberty; soy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison regarding EBF and soy intake between groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlation between duration of soy intake e and bone age (r = 0.446, p = 0.009).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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