The Impact of Egg Consumption on Heart Health using the NHANES III Follow‐up Survey

Abstract

The association between egg consumption and heart health was evaluated using the NHANES III (1988‐94) Follow‐up Survey and FFQ. Egg consumption was obtained from the 30‐day FFQ administered to participants within the NHANES III survey. Adults 17 years and older were followed for mortality from all causes. There were 366 deaths from CHD and 137 deaths due to stroke among 14,946 subjects included in the analysis. Estimated rate ratios (RR) of death from CHD or stroke associated with categories of egg consumption were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Multivariate models show no increased risk of death from CHD with increased egg consumption (Males: RR = 1.40, 95% CI 0.83‐2.85; Females: RR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.30‐2.84). There was a slight reduction in risk of mortality from stroke in males among consumers of 1 to 6 eggs/week compared to <1 egg/week consumers (RR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 ‐ 0.996). Females showed a significant reduction in risk of stroke among consumers of 1 to 6 eggs/week (RR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.83 ‐ 0.95) and 1 or more egg/day (RR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.71 ‐ 0.99). These results showing no association between egg consumption and increased risk of death from CHD or stroke agree with the conclusions in previous studies using the NHANES I Follow‐up Survey, the Health Professionals and Nurses' Health Study.Funding sources: Egg Nutrition Center and NIH Training Grant T32HD046405.Grant Funding SourceT32HD046405