Give your children eggs if you want them to grow, new study says
Eggs can be an affordable and accessible way of promoting growth and reduce stunting in children, a new study coming from Washington University in St. Louis shows.
Lora Iannoti, leading expert on child nutrition at the Brown School conducted a randomised trial in Ecuador, back in 2015 and the results of the tests were just published in the journal Paediatrics.
The project was an intervention trial testing the efficacy of early introduction of eggs during the complementary feeding period from 6 to 9 months on growth and biomarkers of nutritional status. The trial was conducted in a rural, Andean community of Ecuador. The study was named the
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The study was named the Lulun Project, as “lulun” is the word for “egg” in the Kichwa language.
Iannotti found that eggs significantly increased growth and reduced stunting by 47 per cent in young children.
“Eggs can be affordable and easily accessible,” said Lora Iannotti.”They are also a good source of nutrients for growth and development in young children.Eggs have the potential to contribute to reduced growth stunting around the world.”
Eggs were shown to increase standardised length-for-age score and weight-for-age score. Models indicated a reduced prevalence of stunting by 47 percent and underweight by 74 per cent. Children in the treatment group had higher dietary intakes of eggs and reduced intake of sugar-sweetened foods compared to control group which did not receive eggs.
“We were surprised by just how effective this intervention proved to be,” Iannotti said. “The size of the effect was 0.63 compared to the 0.39 global average.”
Eggs are a complete food, safely packaged and arguably more accessible in resource-poor populations than other complementary foods, specifically fortified foods.
The scientists also monitored for allergic reactions but such no incidents were reported.
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“Our study carefully monitored allergic reactions to eggs, yet no incidents were observed or reported by caregivers during the weekly home visits,” Iannotti said. “Eggs seem to be a viable and recommended source of nutrition for children in developing countries.”
For her work in Ecuador, Iannotti received an award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With this grant, Iannotti will be able to continue the second phase of her study to explore different metabolic growth pathways involving amino acids, choline and related metabolites, and immune markers.
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