Eggs: Less Impact on Obese People

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Sep 11

A new study of the impact of adding eggs to the diet revealed some surprising results. It is known that obese, insulin-resistant people are more likely to have higher levels of “bad” choleserol in their blood and less “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Paradoxically, this new study showed that these same people are much less responsive to the cholesterol-raising effects of saturated fat and cholesterol from eggs than are normal subjects.1So why do obese people generally have more atherogenic cholesterol levels? It appears that insulin resistance itself promotes much of the adverse changes seen with weight gain and the metabolic syndrome. The impact on blood lipids of eating 4 eggs a day is significantly less in obese, insulin-resistant people than in people with normal insulin sensitivity. This may be why blood lipids often do not get much worse and even sometimes improve when obese, insulin-resistant people go on an Atkins-style diet and consume more cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs. However, weight loss itself usually improves insulin sensitivity. As weight is lost, this would likely restore the cholesterol-raising impact of eating more eggs. This may be why Dr. Flemming observed adverse changes in the blood lipids of obese subjects who lost 13.7% of their initial body weight by consuming an Atkins-style diet for one year. This would also help to explain why there was an alarming increase in “bad” cholesterol levels seen in Dr. Kwiterovich’s study of normal-weight children to a ketogenic diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol.By contrast, the far more modest changes observed in the blood lipids of obese adults in several studies when they adopt an Atkins-style diet may be due the fact that most were less responsive to the cholesterol-raising effects of eating more cholesterol-rich foods due to insulin resistance. Weight loss and a reduced calorie intake would tend to blunt the cholesterol-raising impact of a diet with a higher percentage of saturated fat and cholesterol.By James Kenney, PhD, RD, LD, FACN1. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2003;23:1437-43.

researchobesitymortalityweightfatnutrientscholesterolDr James J Kenney

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

Eggs: Less Impact on Obese People

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