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WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Eating eggs for breakfast instead of a
bagel can reduce hunger and caloric intake both at lunchtime and over the next
24 hours, according to a new study published in the latest issue of the
Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
The study compared the effects on hunger of two calorically-identical
breakfasts, one consisting of two scrambled eggs and two slices of toast with
low-calorie jelly, and the other a 3 1/2-inch bagel with cream cheese plus a
3-ounce nonfat yogurt. The study was carried out in 28 overweight
individuals, because previous research that found greater satiety from a
high-protein breakfast had only tested normal weight individuals.
"Obesity is a serious problem in the United States and throughout the
world," said Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar of the Pennington Biomedical Research
Center, the studys lead investigator. "Our hypothesis was that eggs could be
useful in helping overweight people reduce their energy intakes, a
prerequisite of losing weight. We needed to test it specifically in
overweight and obese subjects instead of extrapolating the effects from their
non-obese counterparts."
Subjects were randomly assigned to eat one of the two different breakfasts
two weeks apart. Meals were prepared and eaten at the research facility to
ensure complete control of the amounts consumed. Satiety and hunger after
breakfast were evaluated by questionnaire and by measuring calories eaten at
lunch, and from study subject diet diaries kept the following 24-hour period.
The researchers found that when participants had eaten the egg breakfast
they consumed significantly less energy not only at lunch on that day, but
also throughout the day and the next morning as compared to the bagel
breakfast. On average they ate about 163 fewer calories for lunch, 263 fewer
calories that day, and 418 fewer calories over a 24-hour period.
"Eggs are a convenient, affordable and nutritious food," said Dr.
Dhurandhar. "They are an integral and established part of breakfast in many
cultures and may be eaten safely on a regular basis. Recent data from the
Nurses Health Study showed that egg consumption did not contribute to the
risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. Furthermore, eggs have a 50% higher
satiety index than other common breakfast foods. These attributes suggest
that eggs may be an important part of diets that promote weight management."
The findings from this study build upon earlier studies showing that
protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused
breakfasts. One recent study from the University of Illinois, Urbana, found
that a high protein breakfast increased loss of body fat and preserved lean
muscle mass better than a high carbohydrate breakfast. The effects were
increased when the dietary regime was combined with exercise.
In the current study, the researchers note that the sensation of satiety
is multi-faceted, and eggs seem to have an impact on the psychological desire
for food as well as the biochemical responses of the body to different types
of nutrients. Dr. Dhurandhar and colleagues are currently carrying out
longer-term studies to see the increased satiety and decreased energy intake
translates into significant weight loss.
The study was a collaborative effort among researchers from Saint Louis
University, Wayne State University (Detroit), the Rochester Center for Obesity
Research and Treatment (Michigan) and the Pennington Biomedical Research
Center (Baton Rouge). It was funded by the Egg Nutrition Center and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
CONTACT: Kerri Reese
Aronow Communications 212-265-5100
For the American Egg Board/Egg Nutrition Center
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