Eggs.....

First the abstract, then the commentary:

Egg breakfast enhances weight loss

Objective: To test the hypotheses that an egg breakfast, in contrast to a bagel breakfast matched for energy density and total energy, would enhance weight loss in overweight and obese participants while on a reduced-calorie weight loss diet.
Subjects: Men and women (n=152), age 25–60 years, body mass index (BMI) 25 and 50 kg m-2.
Design: Otherwise healthy overweight or obese participants were assigned to Egg (E), Egg Diet (ED), Bagel (B) or Bagel Diet (BD) groups, based on the prescription of either an egg breakfast containing two eggs (340 kcal) or a breakfast containing bagels matched for energy density and total energy, for at least 5 days per week, respectively. The ED and BD groups were suggested a 1000 kcal energy-deficit low-fat diet, whereas the B and E groups were asked not to change their energy intake.
Results: After 8 weeks, in comparison to the BD group, the ED group showed a 61% greater reduction in BMI (-0.950.82 vs -0.590.85, P<0.05), a 65% greater weight loss (-2.632.33 vs –1.592.38 kg, P<0.05), a 34% greater reduction in waist circumference (P<0.06) and a 16% greater reduction in percent body fat (P=not significant). No significant differences between the E and B groups on the aforementioned variables were obtained. Further, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, did not differ between the groups.
Conclusions: The egg breakfast enhances weight loss, when combined with an energy-deficit diet, but does not induce weight loss in a free-living condition. The inclusion of eggs in a weight management program may offer a nutritious supplement to enhance weight loss.
Comment

I saw this today in a press release.

A study published online today in the International Journal of Obesity shows that eating two eggs for breakfast, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, helps overweight adults lose more weight and feel more energetic than those who eat a bagel breakfast of equal calories. [1] This study supports previous research, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, which showed that people who ate eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied and ate fewer calories at the following meal. [2]

"People have a hard time adhering to diets and our research shows that choosing eggs for breakfast can dramatically improve the success of a weight loss plan," said Nikhil V. Dhurandhar, Ph.D., lead researcher and associate professor in the laboratory of infection and obesity at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a campus of the Louisiana State University system. "Apparently, the increased satiety and energy due to eggs helps people better comply with a reduced-calorie diet."

Sounds great and it is consistent with other research out there which identifies protein as the most satiating macro-nutrient.

There are some other interesting points:

• Cholesterol - The researchers also found that blood lipids were not impacted during the two month study. They found that blood levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol, as well as triglycerides, did not vary compared to baseline cholesterol blood levels in subjects who ate either the bagel or egg breakfasts. These findings add to more than 30 years of research that conclude that healthy adults can enjoy eggs without significantly impacting their risk of heart disease.

• This study adds to the growing body of research which supports the importance of high-quality protein in the diet. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) published a special issue in May 2008, which contains nine articles that focus on the value of high-quality protein in the American diet. A major finding was that not getting enough high-quality protein may contribute to obesity, muscle wasting (loss) and increased risk of chronic disease.

Note also that Calories Count in this study. Eggs are not magic. If you want to lose weight then you need to cut calories. However, eating eggs makes this easier.

I was also amused by the fact that the press release referred to the American Egg Board (AEB) and the Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) the assumption being that these fine organiations have sponsored the study. Not that such funding invalidates the study, just that it gives you something to be aware of.

Interestingly there is also a specialist blog out there looking at ....... the nutritious egg! Unscrambling the science