Abstract
Eggs have the potential to contribute essential nutrients to nutritionally vulnerable populations on limited food budgets. Further research is needed to better understand patterns of egg consumption across diverse sociodemographic groups in order to inform clinical practice to improve nutrient adequacy. Data on demographics and egg intake of 29,694 U.S. adults were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2012. The National Cancer Institute’s usual intake methodology was used to estimate the distribution of egg intake. Linear and logistic regression models were used to test for time trends in egg consumption and for differences between sociodemographic groups. The proportion of the U.S. population, overall (21%–22%; p = 0.311) and by sociodemographic group (p > 0.05 for all groups), that reported consuming eggs remained unchanged from 2001 to 2012. Mean egg consumption increased overall from 23.0 (95% CI, 20.8–25.2) g/day in 2001–2002 to 25.5 (22.7–28.4) g/day in 2011–2012 (p = 0.012), but not among food insecure individuals (p = 0.816) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants (p = 0.399). No differences in the odds of egg consumption were observed by income level, food security status, or SNAP participation status (p > 0.05 for all groups). Given the nutritional benefits of eggs, as well as their low cost and culinary versatility, the results presented here have important implications for reducing disparities in health outcomes and diet quality, in particular among food insecure individuals and SNAP participants. Further research is needed to examine factors that influence egg consumption and associated nutrient intake, and to identify potential barriers to increasing egg consumption, such as egg price changes, across diverse sociodemographic groups.
Highlights
Eggs are low-cost and rich in many important nutrients, including all essential amino acids [1,2], choline, B vitamins, vitamin A, iron, vitamin D [3], and the xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin [4,5,6]
Over this twelve year period, mean per capita egg consumption increased overall and among select sociodemographic groups, including fully food secure individuals and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-ineligible individuals; yet no difference in mean daily intake was observed between levels of food security and SNAP participation status. These findings represent the most up-to-date trends and patterns of egg consumption across diverse sociodemographic groups in the U.S. Consistent with these findings, Nicklas et al reported that 20% of adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2008 reported consuming eggs on the day of the survey [10], and Rehm et al reported a positive trend in overall egg consumption using NHANES data from 1999–2000 to 2011–2012 [12]
The results presented here have important implications for reducing disparities in health outcomes and diet quality, in particular among food insecure individuals and SNAP participants who did not increase their consumption of eggs from 2001–2012, whereas their fully food secure and SNAP-ineligible counterparts did
Summary
Eggs are low-cost and rich in many important nutrients, including all essential amino acids [1,2], choline, B vitamins, vitamin A, iron, vitamin D [3], and the xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin [4,5,6]. Evidence shows that consuming eggs increases the bioavailability of co-consumed carotenoids [7] and vitamin E [8], and contributes to satiety, an important factor for weight control [9]. Rehm et al reported a positive trend in egg consumption from 1999–2000 to 2011–2012, albeit of small magnitude [12]. In the U.S, food and nutrient intakes vary by sociodemographic characteristics such as age, income, education level, and race-ethnicity [13,14]. Individuals from low-income and food insecure households, even those participating in federal food assistance programs, have lower quality diets compared to the general population [15]
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