A diet containing many eggs may be linked to heart disease

A new report badociates egg consumption with an increased risk of heart disease. The results follow several previous studies that found that egg consumption was generally healthy.

The JAMA Network Open released the new report in March. It combines data from six previous studies. It shows an increased risk of heart disease by 6% when the average number of eggs that a person eats each day increases by half an egg.

Norrina Allen, who co-authored the report, is an badociate professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.

She told Reuters press service that in the United States, eggs are usually one of the main sources of cholesterol in the diet of a person. People with high cholesterol in their diet are at increased risk of developing heart disease later in life, she said.

However, Allen added that she would not say that the eggs are completely unhealthy.

"I'm not advocacy people are eliminating them completely from their diet, "she said. "I'm just suggesting that people eat them with moderation. "

Allen's team examined the data collected in six studies involving 29,615 individuals. Previous researchers had followed these people for 17.5 years on average. At first, people answered questions about the foods they ate. But they were not asked about their diet at any time thereafter.

Over time, there were 5,400 cardiovascularincidents related to the group. This included 2,088 fatal and nonfatal heart diseases and 1,302 fatal and nonfatal deaths and illnesses. stroke events. It also included 1,897 cases of fatal and nonfatal heart failure and 113 other deaths from cardiovascular disease.

After reviewing the data, Allen's team discovered a connection between the consumption reported at the beginning of the study and the risk of developing heart disease. As their egg consumption increased, so did their risks.

Some experts believe that the new study does not prove that eggs caused heart disease.

The role of cholesterol in the development of heart disease has been under discussion for over 30 years, said Dennis Bruemmer. He is a cardiologist at the Heart and Vascular Institute and an badociate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Bruemmer noted that several previous studies have attempted to measure the amount of cholesterol present in a person's diet from eggs. Each produced different results.

"This study has clear boundaries, including self-reporting at some point," he added. "It limits its validity. "

Eggs contain a lot of cholesterol – about 200 milligrams. This is the highest daily amount recommended by current guidelines.

Bruemmer said: "The eggs in moderation are probably acceptable from a nutritional point of view." Moderation, he added, is "less than an average egg per day, including eggs in foods like bread".

Holly Andersen agrees that the study has "real limits". She is a specialist in cardiology and director of education at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at the New York-Presbyterian Medical Center / Weill Cornell.

Andersen has a problem with the study, which is that a large number of apparently eaten egg consumers also seem to eat large amounts of processed meats and meats.

"If you consume a huge amount of processed meats, no matter how many eggs you eat," Andersen said.

In addition, said Andersen, the study is observational, which means it can only show that there is a link between egg consumption and heart disease. But that can not prove that eggs are the cause of the disease. It is possible that people who eat a lot of eggs also consume a lot. BaconSaid Andersen.

I am Pete Musto.

Linda Carroll reported this story for the Reuters news service. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want your news. How many eggs does an average person eat in your country? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.

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Words in this story

cholesterol – not. a substance that is in the bodies of people and animals

advocacy – v. support or advocate a cause or policy

with moderation – not. in a reasonable and not excessive way

cardiovascular – adj. from or in connection with the heart and blood vessels

stroke – not. a serious illness caused by the sudden rupture or blockage of a blood vessel in your brain

consumption – not. the act of eating or drinking something

validity – not. the quality of being real or correct

Bacon – not. thin strips of salted meat and smoke on the sides and back of a pig