New Delhi: High intake of egg or dietary cholesterol could increase the chances of heart disease and stroke, a joint study carried out by renowned universities in UK and USA has said. The findings of the study are published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
- The study found each additional 300 mg of dietary cholesterol consumed per day was significantly associated with higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease.
- Also, each additional half an egg consumed per day was significantly associated with a higher risk of the incident of the cardiovascular disease.
- The study involved researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in association with Duke University, University of Massachusetts and University and Mississippi Medical Center studied.
- “The take-home message is really about cholesterol, which happens to be high in eggs and specifically yolks,” one of the authors, Norrina Allen, Ph.D., an associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a statement.
- An analysis found that consuming 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day was associated with 17 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease and 18 percent higher risk of death.
- Eggs were then looked at specifically because they are one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol. One large egg contains about 186 milligrams of dietary cholesterol in the yolk.
- The researchers found that eating three to four eggs per week was linked to a 6 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease and an 8 percent higher risk of any cause of death.
- Reacting to the report, Dr Anoop Mishra old Live Mint that many studies show that one egg per day will do no harm and in fact be good for Indians who take less than required protein. However, this intake or anything more also depends upon rest of diets, physical activity and genetic nature of the individual. He is Chairman, Fortis-C-DOC Centre for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology and National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation.
- “These findings should be interpreted with caution in India, where the population is much younger and protein-energy malnutrition is rampant. Eggs are one of the best sources of protein, and it is important that access to this important food item is not restricted to the Indian population.
- At the same time, it is prudent to moderate intake of eggs in those at high risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director, the George Institute for Global Health.
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