Eating eggs daily may boost growth in kids: study

Parents, take note! Eating an egg daily may significantly increase growth and reduce stunting in children, a new study claims.
"Eggs have the potential to contribute to reduced growth stunting around the world. They are also a good source of nutrients for growth and development in young children," said Lora Iannotti from Washington University in St Louis in the US.
For the study, children aged 6-9 months were randomly assigned to be given one egg per day for 6 months, or not to receive any eggs.
Researchers found that eggs were shown to increase standardised length-for-age score and weight-for-age score.

Models indicated a reduced prevalence of stunting by 47 per cent and underweight by 74 per cent, researchers said.
Children in the treatment group had higher dietary intakes of eggs and reduced intake of sugar-sweetened foods compared to the control group, they said.

"We were surprised by just how effective this intervention proved to be. The size of the effect was 0.63 compared to the 0.39 global average," Iannotti said.
Eggs are a complete food, safely packaged and arguably more accessible in resource-poor populations than other complementary foods, specifically fortified foods, she said.
"Our study carefully monitored allergic reactions to eggs, yet no incidents were observed or reported by caregivers during the weekly home visits. Eggs seem to be a viable and recommended source of nutrition for children in developing countries," she said.

The study was published in the journal Pediatrics.