Inaccurate claims made in relation to a study on egg and cholesterol consumption and mortality risk

In response to a new study published in PLOS Medicine on egg and cholesterol consumption and mortality, Australian Eggs urges caution in how the study findings should be interpreted by Australian consumers and health care professionals. According to accredited practicing dietitian Sharon Natoli, while the study was conducted over a long period of time and included a large sample size, the observational nature of the results is not able to confirm a causal relationship between egg intake, dietary cholesterol and mortality.
“Individuals consume a wide variety of foods and make a myriad of lifestyle choices that influence health each day,” Ms Natoli said.
“Observational studies investigating relationships between individual foods or nutrients and health outcomes provide important insights, but other factors that influence the relationship can never be completely controlled for in this type of analysis.” Furthermore, evidence from an observational study published in May 2020 reported no significant association between egg intake and all-cause or heart disease mortality in a representative sample of US adults. These divergent findings indicate a need for further research.
In the PLOS Medicine article, Zhuang and colleagues point to the cholesterol content of eggs – contained in the egg yolk – as the culprit for the link with mortality and suggest replacing whole eggs with egg whites or substitutes, a recommendation not supported by an extensive body of research.
“It is vital to remember that egg yolks are an important part of the whole egg as they contain key essential nutrients, including vitamin D as well as the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for eye health,” Ms Natoli said.
“Eggs are a nutrient dense whole food and people can feel reassured about enjoying them as part of a healthy balanced diet that is consistent with the recommendations outlined in the Australian Dietary Guidelines.”