Fermented Soy Diet Reduces Weight Gain and Alters Liver Fatty Acid Composition in mice Fed a High Fat Diet

Abstract

Obesity is now a worldwide problem, yet countries with high intake of soy foods have less incidence of obesity. Fermentation of soy leads to accumulation of aglycone isoflavones. In this study, we compared fermented soy (fsoy, n=12) to soy (n=12) and casein (n=11) diet on weight gain and hepatic lipid composition in diet‐induced obese male C57B16/J mice. Food intake was measured semi‐weekly and weights weekly. After the 17 weeks, necropsy was performed, tissue weights were obtained and livers were snap frozen for measurement of triglycerides, fatty acids, and mRNA levels of lipid metabolizing genes. The fsoy and soy diet groups had increased average daily food intakes and lower weight gain compared to casein group. The fsoy group had a higher feed‐to‐gain ratio. The liver weights and triglyceride level did not differ. The hepatic fatty acid composition was different including a higher omega‐3:omega‐6 ratio in the fsoy group. The fsoy group had a lower fold induction of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR ), fatty acid binding protein 1(FABP1), and stearoyl Co‐A desaturase 1 (SCD1) mRNA than the casein group. The fsoy group had a higher fold induction of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and PPAR mRNA than the soy group. Fermented soy decreases weight gain and changes the composition of liver fatty acids in C57B16/J mice. Supported by Ajinomoto Corporation