No Association Between Consumption of Eggs with Energy or Macronutrient Intake: Objective Evidence from the Remote Food Photography Method (P08-025-19)

Abstract

ObjectivesStudies using subjective assessment of food intake have reported associations of egg consumption with the intake of various food groups and nutrients, including positive associations with the intake of cholesterol, macronutrients, saturated fat, and total energy. Considering the substantial misreporting linked with subjective measures of food intake, we aimed to examine such associations of egg consumption in a setting with objectively measured food intake. MethodsWe assessed dietary intake using an ecological momentary assessment approach (i.e., Remote Food Photography Method, RFPM). Forty-eight healthy subjects (age 19–58 years; BMI 20.05–38.03 kg/m2; consume ≥1 egg per week) took ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs of all food they consumed during consecutive 7 days using a smartphone app called SmartIntake®. Images were analyzed for nutrient content. Linear correlations between egg consumption and the intake of cholesterol, total energy, saturated fat, carbohydrate, protein, and that with Body Mass Index (BMI), were determined using R software. ResultsEgg consumption was positively related with cholesterol intake (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). Egg consumption was not significantly associated with the intake of total energy, saturated fat, carbohydrate, or protein. The association between egg consumption and BMI was also not significant (r = 0.25, P = 0.09). ConclusionsConsidering the higher cholesterol content in eggs, the positive association of egg consumption with cholesterol was expected. However, our objectively assessed findings contradict many of the other prevailing associations of egg consumption derived from subjective assessment of food intake. Our results showed that in this setting, egg consumption was not associated with greater intake of energy, saturated fat or other macronutrients. Funding SourcesAmerican Egg Board/Egg Nutrition Center