Modeling the Removal and Addition of Eggs in the Current US Diet is Linked to Choline and Lutein + Zeaxanthin Usual Intakes in Childhood

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available examining nutritional implications for removing/adding eggs in childhood dietary patterns. Additionally, usual intake data are lacking for choline and lutein + zeaxanthin in childhood. OBJECTIVES: To determine usual intakes of choline and lutein + zeaxanthin in egg consumers and model the removal and addition of eggs within dietary patterns on choline and lutein + zeaxanthin intakes. METHODS: Data from the NHANES, 2011–2014, were analyzed in egg consumers (infants, n = 130; children/adolescents, n = 980) of various age groups during childhood. Additionally, a modeling analysis was conducted to examine choline and lutein + zeaxanthin intake following the removal and addition of eggs to the current American diet of children. RESULTS: Overall, modeling removal of eggs from the diet in all age groups examined showed decreases in choline intakes, resulting in significantly fewer subjects above the recommended Adequate Intake (AI) for choline. In contrast, the addition of 1 egg per week to the current American eating pattern resulted in nearly 10% more infants 6–23 months of age being above the AI for choline intake. The addition of 7 eggs per week to the current dietary pattern of infants would nearly achieve 100% of infants meeting the AI for choline. In children 2–8 years old, modeling an additional 7 eggs per week to the current dietary pattern resulted in approximately 94% of children being above the AI for choline, while the addition of 7 eggs per week increases the percentages above the AI to 23.0% and 52.4% in children aged 9–18 and 2–18 years, respectively. In children aged 2–8 and 2–18 years old, the addition of 7 eggs per week also showed meaningful increases in lutein + zeaxanthin usual intakes relative to the current dietary pattern (i.e., lutein + zeaxanthin increased from nearly 775 mcg/day to approximately 916 mcg/day and 780 mcg/day to approximately 931 mcg/day, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The current data support egg consumption as part of healthy dietary patterns to help meet established choline recommendations, while concurrently increasing lutein and zeaxanthin intakes in childhood.