title: Being overweight or obese is associated with harboring a gut microbial community not capable of metabolizing the soy isoflavone daidzein to O-desmethylangolensin in peri- and post-menopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity can be a considerable health concern for peri- and post-menopausal women. Evidence suggests an association between the gut microbiome and obesity. The study objective was to evaluate the association between being overweight or obese and phenotypic markers of having an overall gut microbial environment not capable of metabolizing the isoflavone daidzein to equol or O-desmethylangolensin (ODMA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 137 peri- and 218 post-menopausal women, aged 44-55 years, who consumed at least three servings per week of soy (source of daidzein). Equol and ODMA producers and non-producers were identified based on urinary concentrations of daidzein, equol and ODMA in a 24-h urine sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean body mass index (BMI) and odds of obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one women were ODMA non-producers and 226 were equol non-producers. The ODMA non-producer phenotype was positively associated with obesity (OR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.53, 7.23), and mean BMI was significantly higher in non-producers (28.9kg/m2) than in producers (26.7kg/m2), after adjusting for age, ethnicity, and menopausal status. Positive associations with being obese were observed in both peri-menopausal (OR=3.92, 95% CI: 0.90, 17.0) and post-menopausal (OR=3.00, 95% CI: 1.22, 7.70) women. The equol non-producer phenotype was not associated with obesity (OR=1.13, 95% CI: 0.64, 1.98), and mean BMI was not significantly different between equol producers (27.3kg/m2) and non-producers (26.5kg/m2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the ODMA non-producer phenotype is associated with obesity in peri- and post-menopausal women. Further work is needed to confirm these observations in additional populations and to evaluate possible mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University Fairfax, VA, United States.
authors.forename: Lindsey M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
authors.forename: Johanna W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lampe
authors.affiliation: Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gundersen
authors.affiliation: Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States; Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA,United States.
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University Fairfax, VA, United States. Electronic address: cfranken@gmu.edu.
authors.forename: Cara L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Frankenfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060754:Equol / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000652:urine; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D047648:Perimenopause; D017698:Postmenopause
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D060754:Equol; C004742:daidzein; C050052:O-desmethylangolensin
keywords: Body mass index; Equol; Isoflavone soy intake; O-desmethylangolensin; Obesity