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Egg diet restrictions may be unnecessary for adults with type 2 diabetes
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Adults with type 2 diabetes who consumed a diet high in eggs did not experience adverse effects on cardiometabolic risks factors when compared with those who consumed few eggs, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“A lot of the research showing that a high egg consumption (six or more eggs per week) is detrimental to a person’s health was conducted at a time when we were told to avoid eggs,” Nicholas R. Fuller, PhD, research program leader for the Boden Institute of the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, told Endocrine Today. “People eating a high egg diet during that time were also likely to have other poor eating habits, such as one high in saturated fat and low in whole-grain carbohydrates. These studies did not control for such confounding factors.”
Fuller and colleagues recruited 128 adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes for the prospective, randomized controlled, parallel-arm DIABEGG study. An earlier 3-month weight-maintenance study observed the effects of a high egg diet vs. a low egg diet on cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes.
The DIABEGG study builds on the first study, with participants continuing a 3-month weight-loss period with a 6-month follow-up. The total study duration was 12 months and was conducted between 2013 and July 2014. Participants in the high egg-diet group were instructed to consume two eggs a day at breakfast, 6 days a week, with those on the low egg diet consuming fewer than two eggs a week. Participants remained on the same egg diet for all phases of the study.
Participants received macronutrient-matched diets and instructions on the type and quantity of food to be consumed, including the replacement of saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Researchers set a limited 3-month energy restriction of 2.1 megajoules, and follow-up occurred at 9 and 12 months. Patient blood pathology, anthropometric measures, blood pressure and pulse rate, food diaries and completed questionnaires were assessed at the beginning of the 3-month weight-loss phase, the end of the weight-loss phase at month 6 and again at the end of the month-12 follow-up.
Fuller and colleagues observed similar weight loss in those on the high egg diet and the low egg diet from month 3 to month 12. Blood glucose measures, serum lipids, F2-isoprostanes, adiponectin and markers of inflammation, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and soluble E-selectin, were similar between groups.
Researchers concluded that adults with type 2 diabetes can safely consume more eggs than the current recommendations allow.
“Our findings suggest that it is safe for people with type 2 diabetes to include eggs in their daily eating plan and at a level of 12 eggs per week. But this must be in conjunction with a healthy diet — one that is low in saturated fat and high in mono- and polyunsaturated fat,” Fuller said. “Our research looked at cardiovascular risk factors, but not actual risk of cardiovascular events or cardiovascular outcomes. Future research could also look at postprandial lipid concentrations to assess the effects of an acute high cholesterol load.” – by Marley Ghizzone
Disclosures: The research was supported with a grant from Australian Eggs. Fuller reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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