Egg Consumption is Associated with Greater Intake of Several Nutrients to Encourage, Lower Total and Added Sugar Intake and Improved Recumbent Length in US Infants: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2012
Authors: Papanikolaou Yanni , Fulgoni Victor L 
Published: November 2023

2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming a dietary pattern that includes a variety of protein foods in nutrient‐dense forms, which includes eggs. Nutrient intakes during the infancy period are also critical for normal growth and development. The present study examined egg consumption and associations with nutrient intakes, markers of growth and weight‐related measures in infants 6–24 months of age (N=561) and compared to infant non‐consumers of eggs (N=2,129). Egg consumers were defined as those infants consuming eggs (i.e., with the exclusion of mixed meals) during a 24‐hour recall. Associations with nutrient intakes and markers of growth variables were evaluated using data from What We Eat in America, the nutrient intake component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2012. Mean energy and nutrient intakes were adjusted for the sample design using appropriate weights. Covariates used in the analyses were age, gender, ethnicity, poverty‐income‐ratio, and energy (kcal) for non‐calorie variables. Egg consumption was associated with greater energy intake compared to infants not consuming eggs (1265±27 vs. 1190±14 kcal/day; p=0.01). Infant consumers of eggs also had greater protein (48±0.7 vs. 41±0.4 g/day), total choline (281±6 vs. 163±2 mg/day) lutein + zeaxanthin (788±64 vs. 533±23 mcg/day), vitamin B12 (4.2±0.1 vs. 3.7±0.1 mcg/day), phosphorus (977±15 vs. 903±8 mg/day) and selenium (67±1 vs. 52±0.6 mcg/day; all p's<0.05). Egg consumers also had greater consumption of total fat (50±0.7 vs. 45±0.3 g/day), monounsaturated fat (17±0.3 vs. 15±0.1 g/day), saturated fat (20±0.4 vs. 18±0.2 g/day), and sodium (1663±36 vs. 1418±19 mg/day), with lower added sugar (4.7±0.3 vs. 6.1±0.2 tsp eq/day) and total sugar (87±2 vs. 99±1 g/day; all p's<0.05) vs. non‐consumers of eggs. Egg consumption was also associated with lower intake of dietary folate, iron, magnesium and niacin relative to non‐consumers of eggs. Egg consumption in infants was associated with greater recumbent length when compared to non‐consumers of eggs (79.2±0.2 vs. 78.7±0.1 cm; p=0.03). No associations were observed when comparing results for heights and weight‐related measures. When compared to non‐consumers of eggs and regardless of food security, poverty‐income‐ratio and WIC status, egg consumption was associated with greater lutein + zeaxanthin intake per day. The current analyses shows that consumption of eggs in infant 6–24 months of age is linked with several nutrient intakes, including higher protein, lutein + zeaxanthin, choline, B12, selenium and phosphorus and lower added and total sugars relative to non‐consumers. Egg consumers also have less of several nutrients to be encouraged and greater intake of nutrients to limit, thus presenting opportunities for educational strategies to potentially increase consumption of nutrient‐dense foods in combination with eggs.

Support or Funding Information

The study was supported by the Egg Nutrition Center.