January 2001 Soy News

Soybeans Today January 2001

Videos promote health benefits of soy products

by Rich Maples

The videos tell Arkansans how to put more soy into their diets. (photo by Jason Shivers)

You can't buy a new 4-wheel drive pickup or a nice home for $13,000, but you can create a campaign promoting the health benefits of soy products.

"In 1998, the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board gave the University of Arkansas a $13,000 grant to develop five 60-second public service announcements on soy and health, plus a two-page fact sheet for each video," says Rosemary Rodibaugh, nutrition specialist for the U of A Cooperative Extension Service.

The videos, produced by extension videographer Jason Shivers, were aimed at middle-aged women. Rodibaugh says, "Research shows that they're the ones most interested in nutrition and most likely to try soy food products."

Each of the five videos ran twice a week throughout January and the first week of February 2000 on Channel 7's Daybreak, a TV program broadcast around the state from Little Rock. "We spent $5,000 airing the spots," says Rodibaugh.

"The spots are also being shown as part of Janet Carson's "Today's Garden," a program aired on the Arkansas Educational Television Network and cable stations around the state."

The video and fact sheet titles are Soy and Health, Soy and Heart Disease, Soy and Cancer, Soy and Bone Health, and Soy and Menopause.

Rodibaugh says each video begins with an upbeat statement about the potential health benefits of soy, followed by a section with facts about a particular health condition. "Then there's a video sound bite featuring an Arkansas scientist who's doing research on soy and its health benefits."

Dr. Tom Badger with the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center discusses soy and cancer, his area of expertise.

Dr. Harriett McCoy from the U of A's School of Human Environmental Sciences discusses soy and bone health. She does research on osteoporosis.

Dr. Luke Howard of the U of A Department of Food Sciences talks about the overall nutritional benefits of soy protein. Howard does research on functional foods Ð foods that contain health promoting substances.

"The videos also tell Arkansans how to put more soy into their diets and show various soy food products found in grocery stores and health food stores," says Rodibaugh. "For more information, viewers are directed to their county extension office and the extension web site, www.uaex.edu."

Every county extension office has received a copy of the five spots along with 100 copies of the fact sheets written about each topic. The fact sheets have recipes that use soy products.

Rodibaugh says county extension agents are using the video spots and fact sheets in their educational programs.

Soybeans Today January 2001
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For additional information about any board-related activity contact:

Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board
ATTN: Brandy Carroll
P.O. Box 31
Little Rock, AR 72203-0031
Phone: 501-228-1268

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