Researchers at Peking University at Beijing, together with at Oxford University, have reported on studies on the association of eggs with cholesterol in the @Life journal.
There were a total of 4,778 participants (3,401 Cardiovascular cases and 1,377 controls) aged 30-79, from 5 urban and 5 rural areas of China.
A questionnaire examined the frequency of egg consumption per week (0, 0.5, 2.5 or 7 days). They were also asked for similar details on meat, poultry, fish, fresh vegetables, preserved vegetables, fresh fruit, soybean products and dairy.
Mean age was 47 years. 50.1% were women, 29% lived in urban environments.
Mean frequency of egg consumption was 2.69 days/week (i.e. 2.69 eggs eaten in a week = 140 eggs/annum.
Mean levels of plasma total cholesterol was 3.5mmol/l.
Red meat was consumed on average on 3.26 days/week. Fresh fruit on 2.33 days/week. 5% of the participants had diabetes and 27% had high blood pressure.
34% were regular smokers and 18% were regular drinkers of alcohol.
225 metabolic markers were examined, of which, 24 were associated with frequency of egg consumption.
Egg consumption was positively associated with lipoprotein particle concentrations of very large and large HDL.
The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommend that each standard adult should eat 40-60g of egg material a day, without discarding the yolk.
But, Chinese Statistics calculate the current level is 29.3g egg material/day or 10.7kg/annum.
This association between increased egg consumption leading to higher levels of good HDL cholesterol, and lowered levels of bad LDL cholesterol are encouraging.
The LDL mobilises cholesterol to block arteries, while HDL removes it to the liver to be processed.
The measurements of increased egg consumption had positive effects on cardiovascular disease.
