Table 3.
Included study characteristics, eligibility criteria, sample size, and quality assessment.
| Author, Year Published |
Country | Study Design | Age | Inclusion Criteria | Exclusion Criteria | Sample Size and Sex | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakhtiari [53] | Iran | Non-blinded RCT | 60–70 | Metabolic Syndrome defined as ≥3 of following: waist circumference >80 cm; serum HDL-C < 50 mg/dL; triglyceride ≥150 mg/dL; fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL; and systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg and diastolic ≥85 mmHg) | Medication for diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia; estrogen therapy; soy consumption; history of CVD; thyroid condition; kidney or liver conditions; infectious disease; cancer; vegetarian; smokers or soy allergy | 75♀ | + |
| Beavers [49] | United States | Single-blind RCT | 60–79 | BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2, waist circumference ≥102 cm ♂ and 88 cm ♀, willing to consume prepared meals and meal replacement products; and no contraindications for participation in a weight loss program | Weight change (±5%) in the past 6 months; body mass >136 kg; regular smoker; alcohol or substance abuse ≤2 years; insulin-dependent or uncontrolled diabetes; abnormal kidney or liver function; past or current ischemic heart disease; uncontrolled blood pressure (>160/90 mmHg), pulmonary disease; thyroid disease; known significant haematological disease; cancer requiring treatment in past year, or life expectancy <2 years; and regular use of any medications that could influence study variables (growth/steroid hormones, including estrogen replacements, thiazolidinediones, statins, regular anti-inflammatory medications, blood thinners, or weight loss medications) | 21♀ 3♂ |
+ |
| Bijeh [54] | Iran | Double-blind RCT | 60–80 | Physically independent | CVD, neurological, respiratory, muscular, metabolic, inflammatory, bone problems, joints, and movement disorders; consuming nutritional supplements; consuming drugs affecting muscle metabolism; consuming alcohol or smoking ≥1 year; soy milk allergy/sensitivity, and history of regular physical activity ≥1 year. | 60♂ | + |
| Haub [45,47] | United States | Non-blinded RCT | 65 ± 5 | Medical conditions that might place them at risk if they participated in the study | 21♂ | + (2002), Ø (2005) | |
| Imaoka [51] | Japan | Non-blinded RCT | ≥60 | Community dwelling, physically independent | Collagen disease; depression; CVD; medical contraindications to exercise; or Parkinson’s disease | 61♀ 13♂ |
+ |
| Imaoka [50] | Japan | Non-blinded RCT | ≥60 | Community dwelling, physically independent | Doctors’ orders to stop exercise, medicalcontraindications to exercise; dementia | 59♀ 13♂ |
+ |
| Kenny [48] | United States | Double-blind RCT | ≥60 | Diseases that could affect bone metabolism (Paget’s disease, thyroid conditions, osteomalacia, multiple myeloma); cancer ≤5 years; calcitonin, calcitriol, heparin, phenytoin, or phenobarbital use ≤2 years; bisphosphonates or corticosteroid use ≥6 months; methotrexate or fluoride use; creatinine clearance <50 mL/min; liver disease; history of hip fracture; known vertebral fracture ≤1 year; and vegan | 131♀ | + | |
| Kok [44] Kreijkamp-Kaspers [46] | Netherlands | Double-blind RCT | 60–75 | Normal mammography ≤1 year | Liver disease; renal disease; thrombosis; malignant disease; hormone replacement therapy ≤6 months; soy or casein allergy; lactose intolerance; endometrium thickness over 4 mm | 202♀ | Ø (2005), + (2004) |
| Li [55] | China | Double-blind RCT | ≥65 | Low appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (♂ < 7.0 kg/m2, ♀ < 5.4 kg/m2) | Diseases with impaired movement (stroke, fracture, and arthritis); kidney disease; nervous system disease; joint replacement; musculoskeletal injuries; whey or soy allergy; supplement use ≤1 year; and unwillingness to adhere to the study protocol | 62♀ 61♂ |
+ |
| Matsuda [52] | Japan | Single-blind RCT | 65–80 | HbA1c 6.5 to <8.5%; HbA1c change of ≤1.0% ≤6 months | Diabetes other than T2DM; receiving insulin, growth hormone, glucocorticoids, or anabolic steroids; eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2; proliferative retinopathy; contraindication to exercise due to bone and joint disease; current treatment for malignancy | 13♀ 23♂ |
+ |
| Roschel [56] | Brazil | Double-blind RCT | >65 years old | Pre-frail or frail based on Fried’s criteria—unintentional weight loss, weakness, self-reported exhaustion, slow walking speed, and low physical activity | Insulin or steroid-based drugs; protein supplements; caloric or food restriction; resistance training; untreated chronic disease or any musculoskeletal condition contraindicated for exercising | 60♀ | + |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CVD, cardiovascular disease; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HbA1c; glycated haemoglobin; HDL-C, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol; RCT, randomized controlled trial; T2DM, type II diabetes mellitus; ♀ female; ♂ male; +, positive quality as per the American Dietetic Association (ADA) standardized critical appraisal checklist; Ø, neutral quality as per the ADA standardized critical appraisal checklist.