Egg and cholesterol intake linked to heart disease in US adults
What it found
In 29 615 US adults followed over time, eating more eggs or dietary cholesterol was linked to higher rates of heart disease and death.
Each extra half egg per day came with a small rise in risk.
What they found
Studies in people
Cholesterol and heart disease
Each extra 300 mg of cholesterol eaten per day was linked to a higher chance of developing heart disease. It was also tied to a higher chance of dying from any cause.
Eggs and heart disease
Each extra half egg eaten per day was linked to a small rise in heart disease risk. It was also tied to a slightly higher chance of dying from any cause.
Eggs after adjusting for cholesterol
When the researchers accounted for total cholesterol intake, the link between eggs alone and heart disease disappeared. The link between eggs alone and death also disappeared.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that eating more cholesterol or eggs was tied to higher risks of heart disease and death in US adults.
- The authors say these findings should be taken into account when updating dietary guidelines.
How it was done
Eggs are a major source of cholesterol in the diet. Scientists disagree about whether eating cholesterol or eggs is tied to heart disease and early death.
They combined data from 29 615 adults across six US groups tracked for up to 31.3 years. Participants reported what they ate, including how many eggs and how much cholesterol they took in each day. The researchers then counted new cases of heart disease and deaths from any cause.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work followed people over time, so it can show a link but not prove that eggs or cholesterol caused the heart disease or deaths.
- People reported their own diets, which may not always be exact.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NHLBI NIH HHS; NIDDK NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Wilkins reported receiving consulting fees from NGM Biopharmaceuticals (Modest). Dr Mentz reported receiving research support from Akros, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead, Luitpold, Medtronic, Merck, Novartis, Otsuka, and ResMed; honoraria from Abbott, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Janssen, Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Medtronic, Merck, Novartis, and ResMed; and serving on an advisory board for Amgen, AstraZeneca, Luitpold, Merck, Novartis and Boehringer Ingelheim. No other disclosures were reported.
- Authors work at
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Illinois; Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina; Duke Clinical Research Institute, North Carolina
The paper
- Title
- Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zhong VW, Van Horn L, Cornelis MC, et al (2019). Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.1572PubMed 30874756DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error