Egg consumption in relation to risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Changing dietary approaches to prevent cardiovascular disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We have focused on recent research relevant to effects of dietary patterns and major food groups on cardiovascular outcomes, taking into account guidelines and position statements from expert authorities, with an emphasis on important changes in recommendations, some of which remain controversial.

RECENT FINDINGS

Major findings include: refocusing on qualitative patterns of food consumption replacing quantitative prescriptive advice on nutrients; increasing intake of plant foods; substituting saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils; reducing salt intake; regular consumption of fish with a focus on omega-3 enrichment; not restricting dairy foods, other than butter and cream, with encouragement of some fermented products; reducing cholesterol intake for those at increased cardiovascular risk and diabetes, allowing 7-eggs weekly; restricting processed meats and allowing moderate lean meat consumption; preference for fiber-rich complex carbohydrates and reduced sugar intake; maintaining healthy bodyweight; and although water is the preferred beverage, allowing moderate alcohol consumption to national guidelines and avoiding alcohol in specific cardiovascular disorders.

SUMMARY

The new approach that focuses on healthier patterns of food intake is more readily understood by health practitioners and translatable to consumers and patients.

No Difference in Weight Loss, Glucose, Lipids and Vitamin D of Eggs for Breakfast Compared with Cereal for Breakfast during Energy Restriction

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of consuming 2 eggs for breakfast 5 days per week compared with eating breakfast cereal in a randomized parallel study. Two energy-restricted diets with a similar energy content were compared over a 6-month period. One hundred and ten participants—aged 56 ± 16 years, BMI 34 ± 6 kg·m², 84 women and 26 men—commenced and 76 completed the study, 33 in the egg group and 43 in the cereal group. Weight loss in completers was 8.1 kg ± 7.0 kg (8.8 ± 6.4%) in the egg group and 7.3 kg ± 4.0 kg (7.6 ± 4.6%) in the cereal group (p < 0.001 for time) but there was no differential effect of diet (p = 0.56). Vitamin D was 55 ± 18 nmol/L at baseline rose at 3 months and fell at 6 months but remained higher than baseline (p < 0.001 for time) with no difference between the groups. Vitamin D levels were inversely correlated with BMI (r = −0.22 p = 0.025) and positively with age (r = 0.26 p = 0.009), and change in Vitamin D was positively correlated with weight change at 3 and 6 months (r = 0.46 and r = 0.41 both p < 0.001). In a post-hoc analysis of obese participants there was an effect of time (p < 0.01) and a time by diet interaction (p < 0.04), such that participants in the egg group maintained the increase in Vitamin D levels at 6-months. There was no effect on glucose and no adverse effects on total and LDL cholesterol, which did not change. In conclusion, both diets achieved clinically meaningful weight loss. There were no adverse effects on LDL-cholesterol, and there may be a beneficial effect on Vitamin D in people with obesity but this remains to be investigated in a prospective study.

Lycopene supplementation does not change productive performance but lowers egg yolk cholesterol and gene expression of some cholesterol-related proteins in laying hens

1. This work examined the effects of purified lycopene (LYC) supplementation or a source of LYC as tomato powder (TP) on productive performance, egg yolk cholesterol levels as well as gene expression related to mechanism and regulation of cholesterol.2. One hundred and fifty laying hens (Lohman LSL, hybrid) were randomly divided into one of three treatments, with 10 replicates of five hens per cage, totalling 50 hens per treatment. The hens were fed either a standard diet (control) or a standard diet supplemented with 20 mg purified lycopene/kg diet (LYC) or an equal amount of lycopene-containing tomato powder (TP) for 12 weeks.3. Feed consumption, egg production, and feed efficiency remained similar among treatments (P ≥ 0.27). Supplementing lycopene, either as a purified form or in TP, increased the levels of serum and egg yolk lycopene and reduced serum and egg yolk cholesterol concentrations (P < 0.001). Supplementation in either form decreased gene expression for intestinal NPC1L1, MTP, ACAT2, hepatic SREBP1c, ACLY, and LXRα but increased hepatic ABCG5 and ABCG8 (P < 0.001).4. The results of the present work revealed that egg yolk cholesterol metabolism is regulated by the modulation of a group of genes, particularly with LYC supplementation.

Egg consumption and health outcomes: a global evidence mapping based on an overview of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have assessed the association between egg consumption and human health, but the evidence is often conflicting.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search to find all systematic reviews and meta-analyses that assess the association between egg consumption and any type of health outcome. We used AMSTAR to evaluate the methodological quality of the reviews, and GRADE to determine the quality of evidence. We visualized the results using a human anatomy diagram and evidence mapping.

RESULTS

Our search revealed 29 systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Eight studies were of high methodological quality, 16 studies of medium quality, and five studies of low quality. We identified 34 primary outcomes from the included 29 reviews, which were combined into a total of 22 different health outcomes. Two of the primary outcomes were based on high-quality evidence, 18 on moderate-quality evidence, and 14 on low-quality evidence. Egg consumption was associated with an increased risk of two diseases and decreased risk of six outcomes. For ten outcomes, no significant association was found, and for four outcomes, different reviews came to conflicting conclusions.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between egg consumption and the risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other related diseases has been studied in several meta-analyses. The evidence from different studies on the same topic was often conflicting, which can complicate the making of dietary recommendations.

Egg Consumption and Stroke Risk: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies

Background: The present study was performed to systematically quantify the association between egg consumption and stroke risk as inconsistent results have been produced.

Methods: Three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library), previous reviews, meta-analyses, and bibliographies of relevant articles were retrieved from prospective cohort studies published before July 1, 2020. The random-effects model was employed to estimate summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A dose-response analysis was also performed when data were available.

Results: Sixteen publications involving 24 prospective cohort studies were included in our final meta-analysis. No significant association between egg consumption and stroke risk was identified (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.84–1.01) for the highest vs. the lowest quintiles of egg intake. Subgroup analysis indicated that geographic location significantly modified the effect of egg consumption on stroke risk. Higher egg consumption was attributed to a reduced probability of stroke in Asia (RR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73–0.94), but not in North America (RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.77–1.16) or Europe (RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.91–1.16). Dose-response analysis demonstrated a nearly J-shaped curve between egg consumption and risk of stroke. A decreased risk was observed for the intake of one to four eggs weekly and an increased risk for the intake of more than six eggs weekly. The results were significant at an intake of 10 eggs weekly.

Conclusions: The evidence from this meta-analysis showed that a J-shaped association exists between egg consumption and stroke risk.

The Debate Over Egg Consumption and Incident Cardiovascular Disease

There is a great debate regarding the association of cholesterol intake from egg consumption and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most studies show that moderate egg consumption is not associated with a significant increase in CVD, stroke, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), whereas others dispute this fact and state that there is an association with increased egg consumption, especially if they are consumed with saturated fats. In addition, the recent relaxation of cholesterol intake to greater than 300 mg/d by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Nutritional Guidelines has fueled this debate. In order to get a current perspective on the significance of moderate egg consumption with the primary incidence of CVD, a focused Medline search of the English language literature was conducted between 2010 and March 2020 using the terms, cholesterol intake, egg consumption, coronary artery disease, CVD, and T2DM. Nineteen pertinent articles were retrieved, and these, together with collateral literature, will be discussed in this review article. The analysis of data from the articles retrieved indicated that several studies showed that moderate egg consumption (1 egg/d) is not associated with adverse cardiovascular effects in subjects free of CVD or T2DM, whereas other studies showed a positive association, especially in patients with preexisting CVD or T2DM. Therefore, at present, there is no unanimous agreement on this subject, and the controversy will continue until new confirmatory evidence becomes available.

Adverse impact of egg consumption on fatty liver is partially explained by cardiometabolic risk factors: A population-based study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We evaluated the association of egg consumption with liver tests (LTs) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This relationship is poorly documented.

METHODS

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2005-2010) database was used. Analysis of covariance, adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS

Of the 14,369 participants, 46.8% were men and 45.2% had NAFLD. After correction for several variables including: age, gender, race, education, poverty to income ratio, alcohol intake, energy intake, smoking, and physical activity - fatty liver index (FLI), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were 36.9, 25.8 (U/L) and 23.9 (U/L), respectively, in the first tertile (T1) reaching 68.7, 34.9 and 36.5, respectively, in the third tertile (T3) (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). In the model with same covariates, there was significant positive linear relationship between FLI (standard β coefficient (β): 0.196), AST (β: 0.099) and ALT (β: 0.112) with egg consumption and participants in the highest tertile (T3) of egg consumption had 11% higher chance of NAFLD compared with T1 (odds ratio: 1.11 and 95% confidence interval: 1.07-1.17). Of note, after more correction for triglycerides, hypertension and diabetes, the significant link between egg consumption and LTs and/or NAFLD attenuated and disappeared.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the adverse role of egg consumption on LTs and likelihood of NAFLD. These associations seem to be attributable to cardio-metabolic risk factors. These findings require confirmation to improve our understanding of the role of egg consumption in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Egg consumption and risk of coronary artery disease in the Million Veteran Program

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Limited and inconsistent data are available on the relation between egg consumption and risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and it is unclear if adiposity or type 2 diabetes modifies egg-MI relation. We tested the primary hypothesis that egg consumption is positively associated with incidence of MI among veterans. In secondary analyses, we examined potential effect modification of egg-MI relation by adiposity and type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

We analyzed data collected on 188,267 US veterans who were enrolled in the Million Veteran Program (MVP) from 2011 to 2018. Information on egg consumption was obtained via self-administered food frequency questionnaire and we used electronic health records to identify incident MI.

RESULTS

The mean age was 64.4 (SD = 12.0) years and 9.9% of the population were female. We ascertained 10,260 new cases of non-fatal MI during an average follow up of 3.24 years (range: 0.002 to 7.49 y). Hazard ratio (95% CI) for non-fatal MI were 1.00 (ref), 0.93 (0.85-0.1.02), 0.96 (0.87-1.05), 0.98 (0.89-1.07), 1.08 (0.98-1.19), 1.11 (1.00-1.24), and 1.13 (1.00-1.28) for egg consumption of <1/month, 1-3/month, 1/week, 2-4/week, 5-6/week, 1/d, and 2+/d, respectively, controlling for age, sex, race, body mass index, smoking, exercise, alcohol intake, and overall dietary pattern (p non-linear trend 0.019). In secondary analyses, we observed similar results with a composite endpoint including fatal MI, coronary angioplasty and revascularization.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data showed no association of infrequent consumption of eggs with non-fatal MI but a slightly elevated risk with intake of 1 or more eggs per day among US veterans.

Egg consumption and cardiovascular risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

Purpose

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality globally and is strongly influenced by dietary risk factors. The aim was to assess the association between egg consumption and risk of CVD risk/mortality, including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and heart failure.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched through April 2020 for prospective studies. Two independent reviewers screened and extracted the data through standardized methods. Size effects were calculated as summary relative risks (SRRs) in a dose–response fashion through random-effects meta-analyses.

Results

Thirty-nine studies including nearly 2 million individuals and 85,053 CHD, 25,103 stroke, 7536 heart failure, and 147,124 CVD cases were included. The summary analysis including 17 datasets from 14 studies conducted on CVD (incidence and/or mortality) showed that intake of up to six eggs per week is inversely associated with CVD events, when compared to no consumption [for four eggs per week, SRR = 0.95 (95% CI: 0.90; 1.00)]; a decreased risk of CVD incidence was observed for consumption of up to one egg per day [SRR = 0.94 (95% CI: 0.89; 0.99)]. The summary analysis for CHD incidence/mortality including 24 datasets from 16 studies showed a decreased risk up to two eggs per week [(SRR = 0.96 (95% CI: 0.91; 1.00)]. No associations were retrieved with risk of stroke. The summary analysis for heart failure risk including six datasets from four studies showed that intake of one egg per day was associated with increased risk raising for higher intakes compared to no consumption [for 1 egg per day, SRR = 1.15 (95% CI:1.02; 1.30)]. After considering GRADE criteria for strength of the evidence, it was rated low for all outcomes but stroke, for which it was moderate (yet referring to no risk).

Conclusion

There is no conclusive evidence on the role of egg in CVD risk, despite the fact that higher quality studies are warranted to obtain stronger evidence for a possible protection of CVD associated with moderate weekly egg consumption compared to no intake; equally, future studies may strengthen the evidence for increased heart failure risk associated with high regular egg consumption.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00394-020-02345-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Associations of dietary habits and sleep in older adults: a 9-year follow-up cohort study

PURPOSE

China has faced rapid growth of its older adult population, shifting dietary landscape, and sleep-related problems. However, knowledge regarding the associations of dietary behavior on sleep-related outcomes with longitudinal data remains limited. This study investigates the relationships of dietary habits with sleep quality and duration.

METHODS

Using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS), older adults were included in the 9-year span between 2005 and 2014 (age ≥ 60; n = 62,552). Self-reported dietary habits, sleep quality, and sleep duration (hours) were assessed. Four types of dietary behaviors were identified: vegetables, fruits, egg, and meat. Cox proportional hazard models were used to explore the potential association between dietary habits and sleep status. The outcomes were self-reported sleep quality and sufficient sleep duration (7-8 h daily).

RESULTS

In the study sample, the median age was 87 years old, and approximately 57.2% of the study participants were female. More than 60% of the older adult population had good quality sleep, and almost 40% of participants slept 7-8 h a day. In the fully adjusted Cox models, daily fruits, meat, and egg consumption were positively associated with sleep quality (all p < 0.05). Compared with participants who rarely consumed or did not consume vegetables, more frequent consumption was positively associated with sufficient sleep duration (all p < 0.0001) but was not associated with sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

Older adults should be aware that sleep quality and duration might be related to their dietary habits.

Dietary treatment to lower cholesterol and triglyceride and reduce cardiovascular risk

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide an update on dietary measures to lower levels of LDL-C and triglyceride and reduce cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Fifty-year follow-up in the Seven Countries Study confirmed that cholesterol levels correlate with saturated fat intake and all-cause mortality and age at death. In the PURE study, refined carbohydrate increased CVD risk whereas saturated fat did not despite increasing LDL-C levels; limitations are discussed. Reports on CVD risk with eggs provide conflicting results. Plant-based diets with healthful complex carbohydrates reduced CVD. The REDUCE-IT trial lowered triglyceride 21.6% and reduced CVD events 26.1% with an omega-3 fatty acid, An omega-3 fatty acid index at least 4% with EPA and docosahexaenoic acid prevented coronary plaque progression. A clinician guide to counsel patients on nutrition and heart healthy diets was recently published.

SUMMARY

Based on the evidence, individuals should continue to minimize saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, eliminate trans-fat and increase fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and fish or other omega-3 fatty acids. Adhering to a Mediterranean diet is strongly recommended because of lowering CVD and total mortality. High-dose omega-3 fatty acids lower triglyceride, reduce CVD and prevent coronary plaque progression.

The responses of different dosages of egg consumption on blood lipid profile: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Diverse notions exist regarding egg intake, which is one of the main sources of dietary cholesterol, and its effect on blood lipids. We conducted this study to update the previous meta-analysis for their flaw in calculated effect size. PubMed, Scopus, ISI, and Cochrane were searched up to April 2019, for relevant randomized controlled clinical trials. Mean changes in total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), LDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, apolipoprotein (apo)A1, and apoB100 were assessed. Meta-analysis of 66 RCTs with 3,185 participants revealed that egg consumption can significantly increase TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, apoA1/and B100, but there was no significant effect on other serum lipids. Dose-response analysis showed a linear effect for TC, HDL-C, ApoA1, ApoB100, and nonlinear for LDL-C, and TC/HDL-C. In conclusion, intake of more than one egg daily in less than 12 weeks may increase some blood lipids without any changes in the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: There are controversies reports for egg intake, which is one of the main sources of dietary cholesterol. This study provides comprehensive information about the effect of the number of eggs consumed per day (dietary cholesterol) on blood lipids for nutritionists, physicians, researchers, and the general population. In this regard, our results indicated that there is a linear correlation between consumption of greater than one egg per day in a short time (no long time) and increasing lipid profiles which may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, consumption of one egg daily can be safe and this can be a useful recommendation for prevention of cardiovascular disease and promotion of healthy life which indeed are the potential or actual uses of this research.

Dietary Intakes of Eggs and Cholesterol in Relation to All-Cause and Heart Disease Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background The aim of this study was to identify associations between dietary intakes of eggs and cholesterol and all-cause and heart disease mortality in a US population. Methods and Results Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2014 were used in this study, which included 37 121 participants ≥20 years of age. Dietary information was assessed via 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline. Mortality status was documented until December 31, 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between dietary intakes of eggs and cholesterol and all-cause and heart disease mortality. During a median follow-up of 7.8 years, 4991 deaths were documented, including 870 deaths from heart disease. No significant association was observed between additional daily consumption of half an egg and all-cause mortality (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.96-1.13), or heart disease mortality (0.96; 0.80-1.14). Each 50-mg/day increase of cholesterol intake was inversely associated with all-cause mortality among participants with daily intake <250 mg (0.87; 0.77-0.98), but positively associated with all-cause mortality among participants with daily intake ≥250 mg (1.07; 1.01-1.12). No significant association was found between dietary cholesterol intake and heart disease mortality. Conclusions No significant association was found between egg consumption and mortality in US adults. The association between dietary cholesterol intake and all-cause mortality depended on the baseline intake levels, with an inverse association in those with lower intake levels (<250 mg/day) but a positive association in those with higher intake levels (≥250 mg/day).

Cholesterol and Egg Intakes, and Risk of Hypertension in a Large Prospective Cohort of French Women

Purpose: The relationship between egg and cholesterol intakes, and cardiovascular disease is controversial. Meta-analyses indicate that egg consumption is associated with increased cardiovascular disease and mortality, but reduced incidence of hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study aims to investigate the associations between consumption of egg and cholesterol, and hypertension risk in a cohort of French women. Methods: We used data from the E3N cohort study, a French prospective population-based study initiated in 1990. From the women in the study, we included those who completed a detailed diet history questionnaire, and who did not have prevalent hypertension or cardiovascular disease at baseline, resulting in 46,424 women. Hypertension cases were self-reported. Egg and cholesterol intake was estimated from dietary history questionnaires. Cox proportional hazard models with time-updated exposures were used to calculate hazard ratios. Spline regression was used to determine any dose–respondent relationship. Results: During 885,321 person years, 13,161 cases of incident hypertension were identified. Higher cholesterol consumption was associated with an increased risk of hypertension: HR_Q1–Q5 = 1.22 [1.14:1.30], with associations similar regarding egg consumption up to seven eggs per week: HR_{4–7 eggs} = 1.14 [1.06:1.18]. Evidence for a non-linear relationship between hypertension and cholesterol intake was observed. Conclusions: Egg and cholesterol intakes were associated with a higher risk of hypertension in French women. These results merit further investigation in other populations.

Whole egg consumption increases plasma choline and betaine without affecting TMAO levels or gut microbiome in overweight postmenopausal women

As a crucial part of the symbiotic system, the gut microbiome is metabolically connected to many diseases and conditions, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Trimethylamine (TMA) is produced by gut bacteria from dietary choline, betaine, or L-carnitine, and is then converted in the liver to Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which in turn affects hepatic and intestinal lipid metabolism. Circulating TMAO is positively associated with CVD risk. Because eggs are rich in choline, it has been speculated that their consumption may increase plasma TMAO. In this study, we hypothesized that 2 eggs per day increases plasma TMAO level by altering gut microbiome composition in mildly hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women. In this randomized, cross-over study, 20 overweight, postmenopausal women were given 2 whole eggs and the equivalent amount of yolk-free substitute as breakfast for 4 weeks, in randomized order, with a 4-week washout in between. Fasting blood draws and stool were collected at the beginning and end of each treatment period. Plasma TMAO, choline, betaine and other metabolites were analyzed using LC/MS, while gut microbiome composition was analyzed using 16S amplicon sequencing. Plasma choline and betaine were significantly increased after whole egg but not yolk-free substitute, however TMAO level was not significantly affected by treatments. Gut microbiome composition showed large inter-individual variability at baseline and in response to the treatments. The consumption of 2 eggs per day in overweight, postmenopausal mildly hypercholesterolemic women significantly increased plasma choline and betaine, but did not increase plasma TMAO or alter gut microbiome composition.

Controversies and discrepancies in the effect of dietary fat and cholesterol on cardiovascular risk

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. The top ten causes of death in Singapore include many cardiovascular-related diseases such as ischaemic heart disease. The increasing prevalence of CVD poses a burden to both the economy and healthcare system of a country. Dietary habits, in particular dietary fats and cholesterol intake, have been shown to greatly influence CVD risks. Therefore, reference and adherence to relevant dietary guidelines could be crucial in CVD prevention. Recent research findings have provided novel insights into the relationship between certain dietary fats or cholesterol intake and CVD risks, challenging or reinforcing previous guidelines. These findings may, however, be conflicting, and there are still controversies over the effects of dietary fats and cholesterol as well as their association with cardiovascular risk. This review paper aims to evaluate common controversies, identify gaps in relevant research areas and summarise evidence-based dietary recommendations.

Egg consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle and elderly Chinese population: An observational study

Data on the association between egg consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Chinese population are scarce. In the present study, we aimed to examine the association between egg consumption and the risk of T2DM in a middle and elderly Chinese population. A total of 3298 subjects (1645 men and 1653 women) from the Nutrition and Health Survey (2015-2017) in Hangzhou city were selected for the final analysis. Egg consumption was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. All biochemical data and anthropometric measurements were collected following standardized procedures. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between egg consumption and the risk of T2DM and the results were presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI). Restricted cubic spline combined with logistic regression was used to explore the dose-response relationship between egg consumption and T2DM. Among 3298 subjects, 693 (21.0%) people had T2DM. Compared with participants who did not consume egg per week, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios were 0.97 (95%CI : 0.78-1.21), 1.08 (95%CI : 0.91-1.06), 1.20 (95%CI : 0.94-1.55), 1.27 (95%CI : 0.99-1.68) in men (P > .05); 1.06 (95%CI : 0.81-1.37), 0.97 (95%CI : 0.78-1.21), 1.26 (95%CI : 0.99-1.59), 1.19 (0.92-1.54) in women (P > .05); 0.89 (95%CI : 0.79-1.04), 0.98 (95%CI : 0.91-1.06), 1.06 (95%CI : 0.87-1.30), 1.09 (95%CI : 0.88-1.34) in both men and women for egg consumption 0∼7, 7, 7∼14, and ≥14 eggs/week, respectively (P > .05). The dose-response curve showed that, with the increase of egg consumption, the risk of T2DM first increased and then decreased (P = .027).We found that the association between egg consumption and T2DM was nonlinear, and higher egg consumption was not associated with an elevated risk for T2DM in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. However, future prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Effects of substituting eggs for high-carbohydrate breakfast foods on the cardiometabolic risk-factor profile in adults at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objectives

To assess effects of egg-based versus non-egg, higher-carbohydrate (CHO) breakfast meals on cardiometabolic health markers in overweight or obese adults with prediabetes and/or metabolic syndrome.

Methods

This randomized, crossover study included two 4-week dietary interventions, separated by a ≥4-week washout. Subjects incorporated into their habitual diets breakfast meals containing either 2 eggs/day for 6 days/week (Egg condition), or energy-matched, non-egg, higher-CHO-based foods (Non-Egg condition). Dietary intakes, insulin sensitivity, and other CHO metabolism indices, lipid biomarkers, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and blood pressures were measured.

Results

Thirty men and women with mean age 54.1 ± 1.9 years and body mass index 31.9 ± 0.7 kg/m² provided data. Neither diet condition significantly altered insulin sensitivity indices, but the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance was significantly (p = 0.028) higher after the Non-Egg vs. the Egg condition. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was decreased from baseline (119 mg/dL) by 2.9 and 6.0% with Egg and Non-Egg breakfasts, respectively (p = 0.023). Systolic blood pressure was reduced from baseline (127 mm Hg) by 2.7 and 0.0% with Egg and Non-Egg, respectively (p = 0.018). Diet records indicated 149 kcal/day higher (p = 0.008) energy intake from non-study foods during the Egg condition; however, weight change from baseline did not differ between conditions.

Conclusion

Compared with the baseline diet, consumption of 12 eggs/week for 4 weeks at breakfast was associated with less reduction in LDL-C, and more lowering of systolic blood pressure, than observed with non-egg-based, energy-matched, control foods higher in CHO.

Effect of Egg Consumption on Blood Pressure: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We identified and quantified the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have assessed the impact of egg consumption on blood pressure in adults.

RECENT FINDINGS

We conducted a comprehensive search of medical bibliographic databases up to February 2019 for RCTs investigating the effect of egg consumption on blood pressure in adults. Fifteen RCTs were included with a total of 748 participants. Overall, egg consumption had no significant effect on systolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference (WMD) = 0.046 mmHg; 95% CI - 0.792, 0.884) and diastolic blood pressure (WMD = - 0.603 mmHg; 95% CI - 1.521, 0.315). Subgroup analyses had no effect on pooled results and no heterogeneity was found among included studies. Egg consumption has no significant effects on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults. Due to several limitations among existing studies, general conclusions cannot be drawn regarding the beneficial or neutral impact of egg consumption on blood pressure in adults.

Optimum nutritional strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention and rehabilitation (BACPR)

Nutrition has a central role in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease yet only relatively recently has food been regarded as a treatment, rather than as an adjunct to established medical and pharmacotherapy. As a field of research, nutrition science is constantly evolving making it difficult for patients and practitioners to ascertain best practice. This is compounded further by the inherent difficulties in performing double-blind randomised controlled trials. This paper covers dietary patterns that are associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes, including the Mediterranean Diet but also low-carbohydrate diets and the potential issues encountered with their implementation. We suggest there must be a refocus away from macronutrients and consideration of whole foods when advising individuals. This approach is fundamental to practice, as clinical guidelines have focused on macronutrients without necessarily considering their source, and ultimately people consume foods containing multiple nutrients. The inclusion of food-based recommendations aids the practitioner to help the patient make genuine and meaningful changes in their diet. We advocate that the cardioprotective diet constructed around the traditional Mediterranean eating pattern (based around vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes, and unrefined cereals, with modest amounts of fish and shellfish, and fermented dairy products) is still important. However, there are other approaches that can be tried, including low-carbohydrate diets. We encourage practitioners to adopt a flexible dietary approach, being mindful of patient preferences and other comorbidities that may necessitate deviations away from established advice, and advocate for more dietitians in this field to guide the multi-professional team.

Dietary Choline or Trimethylamine N-oxide Supplementation Does Not Influence Atherosclerosis Development in Ldlr-/- and Apoe-/- Male Mice

BACKGROUND

Choline, an essential nutrient, is required for cell membranes, lipoprotein secretion, and methyl-group metabolism. Recently, it has been proposed that excess dietary choline consumption is metabolized to trimethylamine (TMA) by the gut microbiota; TMA is then oxidized to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the liver. Epidemiological studies have clearly shown a positive correlation between plasma TMAO concentrations and cardiovascular events. Furthermore, some studies have shown an association between excess dietary choline, plasma TMAO concentrations, and atherosclerotic lesion size in apoE knockout (Apoe-/-) mice.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to further investigate the relation between dietary choline and atherosclerosis in 2 atherogenic mouse models, the LDL receptor knockout (Ldlr-/-) and Apoe-/- mice.

METHODS

Six feeding trials were performed in Ldlr-/- (40% high-fat diet) and Apoe-/- (unpurified diet) male mice, aged 8-10 wk. Mice randomly received control diet (0.1% choline), or choline- (1% choline), betaine- (0.1% choline and 0.9% betaine), or TMAO- (0.1% choline and 0.12% or 0.2% TMAO) supplemented diet for ≤28 wk. After the dietary intervention, the animals were killed and tissues and blood collected. Aortic atherosclerotic plaque area, plasma lipids, and choline metabolites were quantified.

RESULTS

In Ldlr-/- mice, dietary supplementation for 8 wk with choline or TMAO increased plasma TMAO concentrations by 1.6- and 4-fold, respectively. After 16 wk, there was a 2-fold increase in plasma TMAO after dietary TMAO supplementation. In Apoe-/- mice, dietary supplementation with choline, betaine, or TMAO for 12 wk did not increase plasma TMAO concentrations. However, choline and TMAO supplementation for 28 wk significantly increased plasma TMAO concentrations by 1.8- and 1.5-fold, respectively. Contrary to predictions, atherosclerotic lesion size was not altered by any of the dietary interventions, irrespective of mouse model.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, high intakes of dietary choline or TMAO supplementation did not influence atherosclerosis development in Ldlr-/- or Apoe-/- male mice.

Egg Consumption and Coronary Artery Disease: A Nice Knockdown Argument

To identify prospective cohort studies enrolling adults and investigating an association of egg consumption with incidence and mortality of coronary artery disease (CAD), PubMed and Web of Science were searched through June 2019. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of CAD incidence/mortality for more versus the least frequent egg consumption were extracted from each study. Study-specific estimates were pooled in the random-effects model. Sixteen eligible studies with a total of 1 285 505 participants were identified and included in the present meta-analysis. The primary meta-analysis pooling all HRs for the most versus least frequent egg consumption demonstrated that egg consumption was associated with significantly low CAD incidence/mortality (pooled HR: 0.93; 95% confidence interval: 0.89-0.98; I ² = 9%). In the secondary meta-analyses (separately combining HRs for the third vs first tertile, the fourth vs first quartile, the third vs first quartile, the fifth vs first quintile, the fourth vs first quintile, and the third vs first quintile egg consumption), the fifth (vs first) quintile egg consumption was only associated with significantly low CAD incidence/mortality. In conclusion, egg consumption is independently associated with low incidence/mortality of CAD, which may be derived from the comparisons of the fifth versus first quintile egg consumption.

Substitutions of Oatmeal and Breakfast Food Alternatives and the Rate of Stroke

Background and Purpose- Studies indicate that consuming breakfast every day, and particularly oatmeal, is associated with lower risk of stroke. However, few studies have considered replacement foods when considering foods usually consumed at breakfast. We, therefore, aimed to model substitutions between the breakfast food products oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, or white bread and subsequent risk of stroke. Methods- Participants from the Danish cohort study (Diet, Cancer and Health; n=55 095) were followed for 13.4 years, during which 2260 subjects experienced a first-ever stroke. Breakfast foods were assessed using a validated 192-item food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs for associations between hypothetical substitutions of standard portion sizes of breakfast foods and stroke. Results- Modeling replacement of white bread or eggs with oatmeal was associated with a lower rate of total stroke (hazard ratio [HR]=0.96 [95% CI, 0.95-0.98]; HR=0.96 [95% CI, 0.93-0.98], respectively), total ischemic stroke (HR=0.96 [95% CI, 0.94-0.98]; HR=0.96 [95% CI, 0.94-0.99], respectively), and ischemic stroke due to small-artery occlusion (HR=0.95 [95% CI, 0.93-0.98]; HR=0.95 [95% CI, 0.91-0.99], respectively). Furthermore, modeling replacement of eggs with oatmeal was associated with a lower rate of total hemorrhagic stroke (HR=0.94 [95% CI, 0.89-0.99]). Modeling replacement of yogurt with oatmeal was not associated with stroke. Conclusions- Our findings suggest that a diet containing oatmeal instead of white bread or eggs may be associated with a lower rate of stroke.

Deciphering the Riddles in Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death in Western countries, and its development is largely associated with unhealthy dietary patterns. A large body of scientific evidence has reported that nutrition might be the most preventive factor of cardiovascular disease death and could even reverse heart disease. Processes of chronic inflammation and oxidative distress share triggers that are modifiable by nutrition. This review aimed to identify potential targets (food patterns, single foods or individual nutrients) for cardiovascular disease prevention, and analyse the mechanisms implicated in their cardioprotective effects.

The effect of egg consumption on cardiometabolic health outcomes: an umbrella review

Objective:

This umbrella review provides an overview of the consistency and gaps in the evidence base on eggs and cardiometabolic health.

Design:

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, the Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality databases were screened for evidence-based reviews in English that assessed human studies on egg consumption and cardiometabolic outcomes.

Results:

Seven systematic reviews and fifteen meta-analyses were identified, with eighteen of these published since 2015. Overall, the systematic reviews were of low quality, while meta-analyses were of moderate- to high-quality. No association of increased egg intake and risks of heart disease or stroke in the general population were found in the meta-analyses. Increased risk of heart failure was noted in two meta-analyses that analysed the same three cohort studies. Five recent meta-analyses reported no increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the general population, although increased risk in US-based populations only has been reported. Older (<2013) meta-analyses reported increased risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or heart disease in T2DM populations, and no recent evidence-based reviews were identified. Finally, only one meta-analysis reported intervention studies specifically on eggs and biomarkers (i.e. lipids), and the results contradicted those from observation studies.

Conclusions:

Recent evidence-based reviews conclude that increased egg consumption is not associated with CVD risk in the general population. More research is needed on the positive associations between egg consumption and heart failure and T2DM risk, as well as CVD risk in diabetics, before firm conclusions can be made.

Egg phospholipids exert an inhibitory effect on intestinal cholesterol absorption in mice

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Consumption of cholesterol-rich foods, such as eggs, has a minimal effect on circulating cholesterol levels in healthy humans. To gain insight, we investigated whether phospholipids rich in eggs (EPL) interfere with intestinal cholesterol absorption in vivo.

MATERIALS/METHODS

To investigate the acute effect of EPL on intestinal cholesterol absorption, male C57BL/6J mice were orally administered with 6, 11, or 19 mg of EPL for three days. We also tested the effect of chronic EPL consumption on cholesterol metabolism in the small intestine and the liver in mice with diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat/high cholesterol (HF/HC; 35% fat, 0.25% cholesterol, w/w) diet for 4 weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia, and subsequently the mice were either fed 0, 0.4 or 0.8% (w/w) of EPL for 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Intestinal cholesterol absorption was significantly decreased by the highest dose of acute EPL administration compared to control. Chronic EPL supplementation did not significantly alter intestinal cholesterol absorption nor plasma levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the small intestine and the liver, EPL supplementation minimally altered the expression of genes which regulate cellular cholesterol levels.

CONCLUSION

Although chronic EPL consumption was not able to counteract hypercholesterolemia in HF/HC-fed mice, acute EPL administration decreased intestinal cholesterol absorption. This study provides in vivo evidence that acute administration of PLs in eggs prevent cholesterol absorption in the intestine, suggesting a mechanism for a minimal effect of egg consumption on circulating cholesterol levels.

Egg consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

Egg consumption has been an area of controversy regarding its impact on human health largely due to the content in cholesterol and its potential role in cardio-metabolic outcomes. This study aimed to summarise the level of evidence of egg consumption on various health outcomes. A systematic search for meta-analyses was performed: study design, dose-response relationship, heterogeneity and agreement of results over time, and identification of potential confounding factors were considered to assess the level of evidence. Results from this umbrella review showed a substantial no association between egg consumption and a number of health outcomes, including cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. In contrast, evidence of possible beneficial effects toward stroke risk has been found. In conclusions, egg may be part of a healthy diet; however, additional studies exploring confounding factors are needed to ascertain the potential detrimental effects.

Role of diet in type 2 diabetes incidence: umbrella review of meta-analyses of prospective observational studies

OBJECTIVE

To summarise the evidence of associations between dietary factors and incidence of type 2 diabetes and to evaluate the strength and validity of these associations.

DESIGN

Umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of prospective observational studies.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, searched up to August 2018.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Systematic reviews with meta-analyses reporting summary risk estimates for the associations between incidence of type 2 diabetes and dietary behaviours or diet quality indices, food groups, foods, beverages, alcoholic beverages, macronutrients, and micronutrients.

RESULTS

53 publications were included, with 153 adjusted summary hazard ratios on dietary behaviours or diet quality indices (n=12), food groups and foods (n=56), beverages (n=10), alcoholic beverages (n=12), macronutrients (n=32), and micronutrients (n=31), regarding incidence of type 2 diabetes. Methodological quality was high for 75% (n=115) of meta-analyses, moderate for 23% (n=35), and low for 2% (n=3). Quality of evidence was rated high for an inverse association for type 2 diabetes incidence with increased intake of whole grains (for an increment of 30 g/day, adjusted summary hazard ratio 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.82 to 0.93)) and cereal fibre (for an increment of 10 g/day, 0.75 (0.65 to 0.86)), as well as for moderate intake of total alcohol (for an intake of 12-24 g/day v no consumption, 0.75 (0.67 to 0.83)). Quality of evidence was also high for the association for increased incidence of type 2 diabetes with higher intake of red meat (for an increment of 100 g/day, 1.17 (1.08 to 1.26)), processed meat (for an increment of 50 g/day, 1.37 (1.22 to 1.54)), bacon (per two slices/day, 2.07 (1.40 to 3.05)), and sugar sweetened beverages (for an increase of one serving/day, 1.26 (1.11 to 1.43)).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the association between dietary factors and type 2 diabetes has been extensively studied, but few of the associations were graded as high quality of evidence. Further factors are likely to be important in type 2 diabetes prevention; thus, more well conducted research, with more detailed assessment of diet, is needed.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42018088106.

Egg consumption, cholesterol intake, and risk of incident stroke in men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study

BACKGROUND

Epidemiologic studies suggest inverse associations between consumption of egg, a major source of dietary cholesterol, and stroke. However, the evidence of the relation remains limited, especially among carriers of apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4), which influences cholesterol metabolism.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate associations of egg and cholesterol intakes with risk of stroke and with the major stroke risk factor, blood pressure, in middle-aged and older men from eastern Finland and whether apoE phenotype could modify these associations.

METHODS

A total of 1950 men aged 42-60 y in 1984-1989 were included at the baseline examinations of the prospective population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Data on apoE phenotype were available for 1015 men. Dietary intakes were assessed with 4-d food records at baseline and incident stroke events were assessed by record linkage to hospital discharge registries. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to estimate associations with stroke risk. Associations with baseline blood pressure were evaluated with ANCOVA.

RESULTS

During the mean ± SD follow-up of 21.2 ± 7.2 y, there were 217 incidences of any stroke: 166 of ischemic stroke and 55 of hemorrhagic stroke. Comparing the highest egg intake quartile with the lowest, the multivariable-adjusted HRs were 0.81 for total stroke (95% CI: 0.54, 1.23; P-trend = 0.32), 0.84 for ischemic stroke (95% CI: 0.53, 1.34; P-trend = 0.44), and 0.75 for hemorrhagic stroke (95% CI: 0.32, 1.77; P-trend = 0.40). The respective HRs for the highest cholesterol intake quartile compared with the lowest were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.57, 1.32; P-trend = 0.42), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.46, 1.20; P-trend = 0.32), and 1.10 (95% CI: 0.45, 2.66; P-trend = 0.75). Diastolic blood pressure was 1.6 mm Hg (P-trend = 0.04) lower in the highest egg intake quartile compared with the lowest, but there were no associations with systolic blood pressure or with cholesterol intake. ApoE phenotype (32% had apoE4 phenotype) did not modify the associations.

CONCLUSION

Neither egg nor cholesterol intakes were associated with stroke risk in this cohort, regardless of apoE phenotype.This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03221127.

Impact of whole egg intake on blood pressure, lipids and lipoproteins in middle-aged and older population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Effects of whole egg consumption on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk in the middle-aged and older population remain unclear due to inconsistent findings from observational and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This meta-analysis aimed to assess the impacts of whole egg and egg category (whole eggs versus egg substitutes) intake quantity on CVD risk factors from systematically searched RCTs. Egg substitutes were hypothesized to have minimal effects of the blood lipid and lipoprotein profile as they are void of dietary cholesterol.

METHODS AND RESULTS

As many as 434 studies identified from PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Medline (Ovid) databases were screened and data were extracted from 8 selected RCTs. Quality of the selected studies were assessed and the overall effect sizes of weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated using a random effects model. Non-differential effects in blood pressures, lipids and lipoproteins were observed when >4 whole eggs/week compared to ≤4 whole eggs/week were consumed. Intake of >4 whole eggs/week compared to equivalent amounts of egg substitutes caused greater elevations in blood total cholesterol (WMD: 0.198 mmol/L; 95% CIs: 0.056, 0.339), HDL cholesterol (WMD: 0.068 mmol/L; 95% CIs: 0.006, 0.130) and LDL cholesterol (WMD: 0.171 mmol/L; 95% CIs: 0.028, 0.315) but did not differentially affect triglycerides concentration.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the results support the notion that quantity of whole egg intake does not affect CVD risk factors and consuming egg substitutes may also be beneficial compared to whole eggs on lowering CVD risk in the middle-aged and older population.

Pregnancy dietary cholesterol intake, major dietary cholesterol sources, and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The Scientific Report of 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended the elimination of dietary cholesterol limits. However, cholesterol intake increases during pregnancy and studies regarding the association between dietary cholesterol and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are limited. We evaluate the association of total dietary cholesterol and different sources of cholesterol intake during pregnancy, with GDM risk and blood glucose levels in a Chinese prospective cohort study.

METHODS

A total of 2124 pregnant women from the Tongji Maternal and Child Health Cohort was included. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary cholesterol intake prior to GDM diagnosis. GDM was diagnosed by the 75-g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. Cubic-restricted spline function and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between dietary cholesterol intake during pregnancy and GDM. Generalized linear models were conducted to examine the associations of cholesterol intake with fasting blood glucose (FBG), 1-h post-load blood glucose (PBG) and 2-h PBG.

RESULTS

The average dietary cholesterol intake was 379.1 mg/d, and cholesterol from eggs explained 64.2% of the variability. Total dietary cholesterol intake and cholesterol from eggs rather than other foods, were linearly associated with GDM risk, with adjusted OR for GDM of 2.10 (95%CI: 1.24, 3.58) for total cholesterol intake and 1.83 (95%CI: 1.08, 3.07) for cholesterol from eggs comparing the highest versus lowest quintile. A 100-mg/d increase in total cholesterol and cholesterol from eggs intake were associated with an increased GDM risk by 18% and 16%, respectively. Moreover, higher maternal dietary total cholesterol could increase FBG and 1-h PBG, while cholesterol from eggs increased FBG only.

CONCLUSION

Higher dietary cholesterol from eggs intake during pregnancy was associated with greater risk of GDM.

Different and Unequal: A Qualitative Evaluation of Salient Factors Influencing Energy Intake in Adults with Overweight and Obesity

Environmental factors such as food availability and variety can function as cues for overeating in individuals susceptible to overweight or obesity, but relatively little is known about other types of environmental factors that may also be important. This qualitative study compared and contrasted categories of internal and external cues through focus groups and key informant interviews with 24 adults (26 to 77 years old) in the United States who had a body mass index within the healthy range (21.6 ± 2.5 kg/m²) or had overweight or obesity (29.1 ± 3.6 kg/m²). Five domains of external factors influencing food intake were identified: (a) Environmental cues including food availability and variety; (b) normative expectations for dietary intake; (c) food palatability; (d) overt social pressures to overeat; and (e) perceived social expectations around eating. All external domains were noted by participants with overweight or obesity to be challenging, and solutions to avoid overeating were lacking; however, overt social pressures and perceived social expectations appeared to be especially problematic. By explicitly defining different domains of external factors that challenge healthy weight regulation, this study identifies specific targets to address in interventions for healthy weight management.

Generalizability of a Diabetes-Associated Country-Specific Exploratory Dietary Pattern Is Feasible Across European Populations

BACKGROUND

Population-specificity of exploratory dietary patterns limits their generalizability in investigations with type 2 diabetes incidence.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to derive country-specific exploratory dietary patterns, investigate their association with type 2 diabetes incidence, and replicate diabetes-associated dietary patterns in other countries.

METHODS

Dietary intake data were used, assessed by country-specific questionnaires at baseline of 11,183 incident diabetes cases and 14,694 subcohort members (mean age 52.9 y) from 8 countries, nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (mean follow-up time 6.9 y). Exploratory dietary patterns were derived by principal component analysis. HRs for incident type 2 diabetes were calculated by Prentice-weighted Cox proportional hazard regression models. Diabetes-associated dietary patterns were simplified or replicated to be applicable in other countries. A meta-analysis across all countries evaluated the generalizability of the diabetes-association.

RESULTS

Two dietary patterns per country/UK-center, of which overall 3 dietary patterns were diabetes-associated, were identified. A risk-lowering French dietary pattern was not confirmed across other countries: pooled HRFrance per 1 SD: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.10. Risk-increasing dietary patterns, derived in Spain and UK-Norfolk, were confirmed, but only the latter statistically significantly: HRSpain: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.22 and HRUK-Norfolk: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.20. Respectively, this dietary pattern was characterized by relatively high intakes of potatoes, processed meat, vegetable oils, sugar, cake and cookies, and tea.

CONCLUSIONS

Only few country/center-specific dietary patterns (3 of 18) were statistically significantly associated with diabetes incidence in this multicountry European study population. One pattern, whose association with diabetes was confirmed across other countries, showed overlaps in the food groups potatoes and processed meat with identified diabetes-associated dietary patterns from other studies. The study demonstrates that replication of associations of exploratory patterns with health outcomes is feasible and a necessary step to overcome population-specificity in associations from such analyses.

National Dietary Guidelines of Greece for children and adolescents: a tool for promoting healthy eating habits

Objective:

Dietary guidelines are an essential policy tool for facilitating optimal dietary patterns and healthy eating behaviours. We report: (i) the methodological approach adopted for developing the National Dietary Guidelines of Greece (NDGGr) for Infants, Children and Adolescents; and (ii) the guidelines for children aged 1–18 years.

Design:

An evidence-based approach was employed to develop food-based recommendations according to the methodologies of the WHO, FAO and European Food Safety Authority. Physical activity recommendations were also compiled. Food education, healthy eating tips and suggestions were also provided.

Setting:

The NDGGr encompass food-based nutritional and physical activity recommendations for promoting healthy dietary patterns and eating behaviours and secondarily to serve as a helpful tool for the prevention of childhood overweight and obesity.

Results:

The NDGGr include food-based recommendations, food education and health promotion messages regarding: (i) fruits; (ii) vegetables; (iii) milk and dairy products; (iv) cereals; (v) red and white meat; (vi) fish and seafood; (vii) eggs; (viii) legumes; (ix) added lipids, olives, and nuts; (x) added sugars and salt; (xi) water and beverages, and (xii) physical activity. A Nutrition Wheel, consisting of the ten most pivotal key messages, was developed to enhance the adoption of optimal dietary patterns and a healthy lifestyle. The NDGGr additionally provide recommendations regarding the optimal frequency and serving sizes of main meals, based on the traditional Greek diet.

Conclusions:

As a policy tool for promoting healthy eating, the NDGGr have been disseminated in public schools across Greece.

Frequency and Quantity of Egg Intake Is Not Associated with Dyslipidemia: The Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS)

BACKGROUND

Gaps remain on the safety of egg intake on cardiovascular health, setting the study's aim to investigate the association between quantity and frequency of egg consumption, with established dyslipidemia.

METHODS

Study participants (N = 3558, 40.3% males) included individuals from the Hellenic National and Nutrition Health Survey (HNNHS), of national representation. Quantity and frequency of egg consumption was determined. Minimally adjusted, multivariable logistic and linear analysis were used to assess egg consumption and dyslipidemia.

RESULTS

The more frequent egg consumption compared to no or rare egg consumption significantly decreased the odds of dyslipidemia in the minimally adjusted (Odds Ratio (OR) for frequency: 0.83; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.752, 0.904; OR for quantified frequency: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.796, 0.963) and the fully adjusted models (OR for frequency: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.718, 0.887; OR for quantified frequency: 0.85; 95%CI: 0.759, 0.945). Level of serum cholesterol and LDL-c were significantly lower with higher frequency and quantified frequency of egg consumption in all models.

CONCLUSION

Eggs do not increase the risk of dyslipidemia and can be consumed as part of a healthy diet that is high in fiber and low in saturated fat, without excessive energy intake, by all individuals.

Red meat, processed meat, and other dietary protein sources and risk of overall and cause-specific mortality in The Netherlands Cohort Study

Processed meat and red meat have been associated with increased mortality, but studies are inconsistent and few have investigated substitution by other protein sources. The relationship of overall and causes-specific mortality with red meat, processed meat, and other dietary protein sources was investigated in The Netherlands Cohort Study. In 1986, 120,852 men and women aged 55-69 years provided information on dietary and lifestyle habits. Mortality follow-up until 1996 consisted of linkage to statistics Netherlands. Multivariable case-cohort analyses were based on 8823 deaths and 3202 subcohort members with complete data on diet and confounders. Red meat (unprocessed) intake was not associated with overall and cause-specific mortality. Processed meat intake was significantly positively related to overall mortality: HR (95% CI) comparing highest versus lowest quintile, 1.21 (1.02-1.44) with Ptrend = 0.049. Significant associations were observed for cardiovascular [HR Q5 vs. Q1, 1.26 (1.01-1.26)] and respiratory [HR = 1.79 (1.19-2.67)], but not cancer mortality [HR = 1.16 (0.97-1.39)]. Adjustment for nitrite intake attenuated these associations which became nonsignificant: HRs Q5 versus Q1 (95% CI) were: 1.10 (0.77-1.55) for total, 1.09 (0.71-1.67) for cardiovascular, 1.44 (0.68-3.05) for respiratory, and 1.11 (0.78-1.58) for cancer mortality. Nitrite was significantly associated with overall, CVD and respiratory mortality. Poultry intake was significantly inversely related to cancer and overall mortality. While fish intake showed positive associations, nut intake showed inverse associations with all endpoints. Replacing processed meat with a combination of poultry, eggs, fish, pulses, nuts and low-fat dairy was associated with lower risks of overall, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. Processed meat was related to increased overall, CVD and respiratory mortality, potentially due to nitrite. Substituting processed meat with other protein sources was associated with lower mortality risks.

Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality

Importance

Cholesterol is a common nutrient in the human diet and eggs are a major source of dietary cholesterol. Whether dietary cholesterol or egg consumption is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality remains controversial.

Objective

To determine the associations of dietary cholesterol or egg consumption with incident CVD and all-cause mortality.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Individual participant data were pooled from 6 prospective US cohorts using data collected between March 25, 1985, and August 31, 2016. Self-reported diet data were harmonized using a standardized protocol.

Exposures

Dietary cholesterol (mg/day) or egg consumption (number/day).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Hazard ratio (HR) and absolute risk difference (ARD) over the entire follow-up for incident CVD (composite of fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and other CVD deaths) and all-cause mortality, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors.

Results

This analysis included 29 615 participants (mean [SD] age, 51.6 [13.5] years at baseline) of whom 13 299 (44.9%) were men and 9204 (31.1%) were black. During a median follow-up of 17.5 years (interquartile range, 13.0-21.7; maximum, 31.3), there were 5400 incident CVD events and 6132 all-cause deaths. The associations of dietary cholesterol or egg consumption with incident CVD and all-cause mortality were monotonic (all P values for nonlinear terms, .19-.83). Each additional 300 mg of dietary cholesterol consumed per day was significantly associated with higher risk of incident CVD (adjusted HR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.09-1.26]; adjusted ARD, 3.24% [95% CI, 1.39%-5.08%]) and all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.10-1.26]; adjusted ARD, 4.43% [95% CI, 2.51%-6.36%]). Each additional half an egg consumed per day was significantly associated with higher risk of incident CVD (adjusted HR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.03-1.10]; adjusted ARD, 1.11% [95% CI, 0.32%-1.89%]) and all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.04-1.11]; adjusted ARD, 1.93% [95% CI, 1.10%-2.76%]). The associations between egg consumption and incident CVD (adjusted HR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.93-1.05]; adjusted ARD, -0.47% [95% CI, -1.83% to 0.88%]) and all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.03 [95% CI, 0.97-1.09]; adjusted ARD, 0.71% [95% CI, -0.85% to 2.28%]) were no longer significant after adjusting for dietary cholesterol consumption.

Conclusions and Relevance

Among US adults, higher consumption of dietary cholesterol or eggs was significantly associated with higher risk of incident CVD and all-cause mortality in a dose-response manner. These results should be considered in the development of dietary guidelines and updates.

Mechanism and Potential of Egg Consumption and Egg Bioactive Components on Type-2 Diabetes

Type-2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the major global health challenges and a substantial economic burden. Egg and egg-derived components have been indicated to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer activities. However, the scientific evidence about the benefits of egg on T2D is debatable. The relationship between egg consumption and the risk of T2D from observational epidemiological studies is not consistent. Interventional clinical studies, however, provide promising evidence that egg consumption ameliorates the risk of T2D. Current research progress also indicates that some egg components and egg-derived peptides might be beneficial in the context of T2D, in terms of insulin secretion and sensitivity, oxidative stress, and inflammation, suggesting possible application on T2D management. The current review summarizes recent clinical investigations related to the influence of egg consumption on T2D risk and in vivo and in vitro studies on the effect and mechanism of egg components and egg-derived peptides on T2D.

Investigating the Role of Communication for Information Seekers' Trust-Related Evaluations of Health Videos on the Web: Content Analysis, Survey Data, and Experiment

Background

According to the language expectancy theory and the communication accommodation theory, health information seekers’ trust evaluations of Web-based videos are determined by interplays between content and seekers’ expectations on vloggers’ appropriate language use in specific contexts of Web-based communication.

Objectives

Two investigations focused on differences both between vloggers’ language styles and between users’ general trust in specific Web-based platforms to investigate how the context of Web-based communication can be characterized (research question, RQ1). Thereafter, we investigated whether information uncertainty, vloggers’ language style, and context of Web-based communication affect seekers’ trust evaluations of videos (RQ2).

Methods

With a content analysis of 36 health videos from YouTube and Vimeo, we examined the extent of trust-related linguistic characteristics (ie, first-person and second-person pronouns). Additionally, we surveyed participants (n=151) on their trust in YouTube and Moodle (academic Web-based platform; RQ1). In an experiment, further participants (n=124) watched a video about nutrition myths and were asked to evaluate the information credibility, vloggers’ trustworthiness, and accommodation of language by vloggers (RQ2). Following a 3 × 2 × 2 mixed design, vloggers’ explanations contained unambiguous (confirming or disconfirming) or ambiguous (neither confirming nor disconfirming) evidence on the myths (within factor). Furthermore, vloggers used YouTube-typical language (many first-person pronouns) or formal language (no first-person pronouns), and videos were presented on YouTube or Moodle (between factors).

Results

The content analysis revealed that videos on YouTube contained more first-person pronouns than on Vimeo (F_1,35=4.64; P=.04; η_p²=0.12), but no more second-person pronouns (F_1,35=1.23; P=.23). Furthermore, when asked about their trust in YouTube or Moodle, participants trusted YouTube more than Moodle (t₁₅₀≤−9.63; all P ≤.001). In the experiment, participants evaluated information to be more credible when information contained unambiguous rather than ambiguous evidence (F_2,116=9.109; P<.001; η_p²=0.14). Unexpectedly, information credibility did not depend on vloggers’ language style or the video platform (F_1,117≤2.40; P ≥.06). Likewise, video’s platform did not affect participants’ evaluations of vloggers’trustworthiness (F_1,117<0.18; P>.34). However, participants judged vloggers who used a YouTube-typical language as being more benevolent, and their language use as being more appropriate in both video platforms (F_1,117≥3.41; P ≤.03; η_p²≥0.028). Moreover, participants rated the YouTube-typical (vs formal) language as more appropriate for Moodle, but they did not rate one or the other language style as more appropriate for YouTube (F_1,117=5.40; P=.01; η_p²=0.04).

Conclusions

This study shows that among specific Web-based contexts, users’ typical language use can differ, as can their trust-related evaluations. In addition, health information seekers seem to be affected by providers’ language styles in ways that depend on the Web-based communication context. Accordingly, further investigations that would identify concrete interplays between language style and communication context might help providers to understand whether additional information would help or hurt seekers’ ability to accurately evaluate information.

Egg Intake in Chronic Kidney Disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often instructed to adhere to a renal-specific diet depending on the severity and stage of their kidney disease. The prescribed diet may limit certain nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, or encourage the consumption of others, such as high biological value (HBV) proteins. Eggs are an inexpensive, easily available and high-quality source of protein, as well as a rich source of leucine, an essential amino acid that plays a role in muscle protein synthesis. However, egg yolk is a concentrated source of both phosphorus and the trimethylamine N-oxide precursor, choline, both of which may have potentially harmful effects in CKD. The yolk is also an abundant source of cholesterol which has been extensively studied for its effects on lipoprotein cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Efforts to reduce dietary cholesterol to manage dyslipidemia in dialysis patients (already following a renal diet) have not been shown to offer additional benefit. There is a paucity of data regarding the impact of egg consumption on lipid profiles of CKD patients. Additionally, egg consumption has not been associated with the risk of developing CKD based on epidemiological studies. The egg yolk also contains bioactive compounds, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin D, which may confer health benefits in CKD patients. Here we review research on egg intake and CKD, discuss both potential contraindications and favorable effects of egg consumption, and describe the need for further research examining egg intake and outcomes in the CKD and end-stage renal disease population.