Dietary Intakes of Eggs and Cholesterol in Relation to All‐Cause and Heart Disease Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify associations between dietary intakes of eggs and cholesterol and all‐cause and heart disease mortality in a US population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2014 were used in this study, which included 37 121 participants ≥20 years of age. Dietary information was assessed via 24‐hour dietary recalls at baseline. Mortality status was documented until December 31, 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between dietary intakes of eggs and cholesterol and all‐cause and heart disease mortality. During a median follow‐up of 7.8 years, 4991 deaths were documented, including 870 deaths from heart disease. No significant association was observed between additional daily consumption of half an egg and all‐cause mortality (multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.96–1.13), or heart disease mortality (0.96; 0.80–1.14). Each 50‐mg/day increase of cholesterol intake was inversely associated with all‐cause mortality among participants with daily intake <250 mg (0.87; 0.77–0.98), but positively associated with all‐cause mortality among participants with daily intake ≥250 mg (1.07; 1.01–1.12). No significant association was found between dietary cholesterol intake and heart disease mortality. CONCLUSIONS: No significant association was found between egg consumption and mortality in US adults. The association between dietary cholesterol intake and all‐cause mortality depended on the baseline intake levels, with an inverse association in those with lower intake levels (<250 mg/day) but a positive association in those with higher intake levels (≥250 mg/day).