New study finds no link between eggs and cholesterol levels

Whether people who eat more eggs have a worse blood lipid profile remains a controversial topic of discussion. However, a recent research study found no link between egg consumption and cholesterol levels in women, even those with existing metabolic disorders such as obesity or type 2 diabetes.

The research report - Egg Consumption and Blood Lipid Parameters According to the Presence of Chronic Metabolic Disorders: The EVIDENT II Study – revealed that higher egg consumption (more than 3 eggs a week) was actually linked to a better lipid profile in healthy women, in comparison to those who ate less than 1 egg a week. 

In addition, women eating the most eggs had on average lower body weight, despite a higher calorie intake from their overall diet. 

Findings of this report support a recent analysis of the latest UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) data, which showed that women who eat eggs are on average slimmer than non-egg eaters, with a lower BMI and waist-to-height ratio. 

This confirms that eating eggs is now associated with a healthier dietary pattern for women, which contrasts with their previous association with an unhealthy diet.  It also reinforces current guidelines recommending eggs should be eaten as part of a balanced diet.

Dr Rona Antoni, Research Fellow in Nutritional Metabolism. BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Dietetics, PhD Nutritional Sciences, says: “This is a positive study showing that moderate egg consumption was not associated with adverse outcomes in women and that the top egg consumers had reduced co-morbidities.  

“Interestingly, total energy intake was greatest in the highest quartile of egg intake, but body weight in this quartile was lowest. This suggests that the top egg consumers may have been more physically active and/or had healthier lifestyles. This is a major difference between this study and US studies, where greater egg consumption is often associated with unhealthier lifestyles.  As this study was conducted in Spain, the women are likely to have had better (Mediterranean) diets overall than US populations.

“This study supports recent UK research showing that female egg eaters had better quality diets, higher levels of nutrients in their blood, and were on average slimmer than non-egg eaters.”