A substantial knowledge gap remains regarding the relationship between modifiable dietary factors and Alzheimer’s disease risk. Eggs are a source of key nutrients that support brain health. Our aim was to investigate the association between egg consumption and incidence Alzheimer’s disease. Data were drawn from the Adventist Health Study-2, a large, prospective cohort of U.S. Seventh-day Adventists, linked with Medicare records to identify Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. Diet and lifestyle factors were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Egg consumption was categorized by frequency ranging from never/rarely to ≥5 times/week. The analytic sample included 39,498 participants (mean follow-up: 15.3 years), among whom 2,858 developed Alzheimer’s disease. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic spline analysis was conducted using continuous egg intake (g/day). Egg consumption was inversely associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk. Compared to never/rarely consuming eggs, HRs (95% CIs) after adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, food groups, and comorbidities were: 0.83 (0.75–0.92) for 1–3 times/month, 0.83 (0.74–0.94) for once/week, 0.80 (0.71–0.90) for 2–4 times/week, and 0.73 (0.60-0.89) for ≥5 times/week. In the spline model, zero egg intake was curvilinearly associated with an adjusted HR of 1.22 (1.11-1.34) compared to 10 g/day. In this health-conscious population, moderate egg consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. These findings suggest a potential neuroprotective benefit of nutrients found in eggs when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
Oh et al. (Wed,) studied this question.