Nutritional recommendation for egg consumption for childre under 5 years of age Children?

Eggs are a nutritious food for children of all ages, including those under 5 years old. They are a good source of protein, choline, vitamins A, D, E, and K, and selenium. Eggs also contain healthy fats, which are important for brain development.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children under 5 years old eat no more than two eggs per week. This is because eggs contain cholesterol, and the AAP recommends that children limit their intake of dietary cholesterol. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) do not have a specific recommendation for egg consumption in children.

Ultimately, the decision of how many eggs to feed your child under 5 years old is up to you. It is important to consider your child's individual cholesterol levels and overall diet. If you are concerned about your child's cholesterol intake, you can talk to their doctor.

Here are some of the benefits of eggs for children under 5 years old:

• Protein: Eggs are a good source of protein, which is essential for growth and development. A single egg contains about 6 grams of protein.
• Choline: Choline is an important nutrient for brain development. Eggs are a good source of choline, providing about 150 milligrams per egg.
• Vitamins A, D, E, and K: Eggs are a good source of vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are important for vision, immunity, bone health, and blood clotting.
• Selenium: Eggs are a good source of selenium, which is an important antioxidant. Selenium helps protect the body against damage from free radicals.
• Healthy fats: Eggs contain healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are important for brain development and heart health.

Here are some ways to incorporate eggs into your child's diet:

• Scrambled eggs: Scrambled eggs are a quick and easy way to get eggs into your child's diet. You can add vegetables, cheese, or ham to make them more appealing.
• Omelet: Omelets are another easy way to get eggs into your child's diet. You can add a variety of different ingredients to make them more interesting.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boiled eggs are a portable and healthy snack option for children. You can cut them into small pieces or let your child peel them themselves.
• Egg salad: Egg salad is a popular sandwich filling that is also a good source of protein. You can make your own egg salad or buy it pre-made.
• Baked goods: Eggs are a common ingredient in baked goods, such as muffins, cakes, and cookies. These foods can be a good way to get eggs into your child's diet if they are not a fan of eating eggs plain.

It is important to note that some children may be allergic to eggs. If you are concerned that your child may be allergic to eggs, talk to their doctor before introducing them to Children. Nutritional supplements for growth and development require fruits and vegetables  poultry and fish in addition to eggs.referto age appropriate complementary food after age of 6months to23months along with Breast feeding too.

I hope this may some helpful tips.

Hi Youssouf,

Greetings from Pakistan! “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.”! I’m not sure if Hippocrates said that, but it’s a great advocacy statement for nutritious foods for our most vulnerable children and eggs are a super food, an excellent source of protein, especially for malnourished children (and women). WHO and UNICEF recommend eggs in the diet of our children. It’s a great affordable food, locally available, contributing to a diverse diet, and according to the WHO guidelines (Principles for Complimentary Feeding of the Breastfed Child) “Meat, poultry, fish or eggs should be eaten daily, or as often as possible”.

I think there are some fantastic, innovative, low cost and high impact interventions coming from the Global South, that should be shared widely and celebrated. So, I’m so happy to see your question in this forum. Thank you.

The evidence is growing about the benefits of consuming eggs for children 6 months – 5 years. “Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated a benefit of egg consumption in infants. Indeed, one egg per day for six-months versus control (no eggs) in infants 6 to 9 months of age, led to increased length-for-age (i.e., linear growth) and weight-for-age z scores, in addition to a reduced prevalence of stunting and underweight [12]. In earlier work, researchers showed that one egg per day significantly increased choline and DHA intake relative to a control group [13]. Collectively, these data suggest that early introduction of eggs may significantly impact growth-related outcomes in addition to brain function and development, while also helping to contribute to daily nutrient intakes.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024369/

Here are some other research quotes, and links to a UNICEF nutrition campaign and other related information…

Researchers from Ethiopia: “The intervention was significantly effective, particularly in increasing weight-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores and the early attainment of running, kicking a ball and throwing ball motor skills. The odds of being underweight and stunting were significantly reduced. The increasing effect on the length-for-age z-score was also remarkable. Combined with its potential for sustainability, the results found in improving child growth and development make this model of nutrition-sensitive poultry intervention a plausible alternative to alleviate malnutrition, particularly in settings where animal source food intake is low. Implementation at a large scale for a longer period in the first two years of life is recommended.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9690635/

Researchers from South Africa: “In conclusion, egg intake was associated with higher protein and micronutrient intakes, and caregivers were positive towards feeding their babies egg. The frequency of egg intake was not related to the incidence or duration of allergy symptoms. This study, therefore, showed that frequent egg consumption can contribute safely to complementary food for babies, especially in LIMCs”.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9416406/

Researchers from USA: “Concerns about egg allergies in high‐income countries resulted in complementary feeding guidelines that recommended delaying their introduction until after the first year likely also discourage giving eggs to young children elsewhere in the world. Since 2003, several authoritative guidelines have recommended the introduction of eggs at 6 months (Greer et al., 2008; PAHO/WHO, 2003) and a recent systematic review reported early introduction of eggs to be associated with reduced egg allergy (Ierodiakonou, 2016).”.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6865885/

Researchers from Canada, Australia, Pakistan and USA: “A second meta-analysis of two studies from low-resource settings showed that children ranging from 6–12 months of age who consumed greater amounts of egg, compared to no egg, over a period of 6 to 17 months, had reduced risk of stunting by 30%”.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/13/3041

Researchers from Bangladesh. My friend and colleague, Dr SK Roy is doing pioneering work in the treatment of child malnutrition in emergencies, using a local dish called Egg Suji:

“Results - The study children were assessed for nutritional status. After intervention, energy intake from diet increased from 455.29 ± 120.9 kcal/day to 609.61 ± 29.5 kcal/day (P = 0.001) in 3 months. Frequency of daily food intake improved from 4.89 ± 1.02 to 5.94 ± 0.26 (P = 0.001). The body weight of children increased from 6.3 ± 1.04 kg to 9.93 ± 1.35 kg (P = 0.001), height increased from 67.93 ± 6.18 cm to 73.86 ± 0.35 (P = 0.001) cm, and MUAC improved from 11.14 ± 1.35 cm to 12.89 ± 0.37 cm (P = 0.001). HAZ improved from − 3.64 ± 1.35 to − 2.82 ± 1.40 (P = 0.001), WHZ improved from − 2.45 ± 1.23 to 1.03 ± 1.17 (P = 0.001), WAZ improved from − 3.8 ± 0.61 to − 0.69 ± 0.78, and MUACZ improved from − 3.32 ± 0.49 to 1.8 ± 0.54 (P = 0.001) from the beginning to the end of observation. Morbidity was found in 5.12% children in the first month which reduced to 0.15% at the end of follow-up.

Conclusions - Nutritional counseling and supply of food ingredients at refugee camps resulted in complete recovery from severe malnutrition for all children which was sustainable.”

 https://jhpn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41043-022-00321-x

UNICEF Rwanda have a fantastic nutrition campaign which you can view on twitter called #OneEggPerChildEveryDay. I’ll share some of the recent links (see below). UNICEF highlight that the essential amino acids in an egg contribute more than 60% to the dietary requirement for children aged 6-11 months and that stunted growth prevalence can be reduced by nearly 50% with daily egg intake. https://x.com/unicefrw/status/1697954820651430002?s=46&t=Lib69GnxZksPe3mw4xwkXw

https://x.com/unicefrw/status/1691059154457104384?s=46&t=Lib69GnxZksPe3mw4xwkXw

https://x.com/unicefrw/status/1629036778609905665?s=46&t=Lib69GnxZksPe3mw4xwkXw

https://x.com/unicefrw/status/1665321380361953280?s=46&t=Lib69GnxZksPe3mw4xwkXw

https://x.com/unicefrw/status/1640021009410523138?s=46&t=Lib69GnxZksPe3mw4xwkXw

Regarding the earlier mentioned, US food recommendations on egg consumption for children, I’m not sure about it, because there seems to be so much US company lobbying, on so many levels. For example, it’s only recently that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have finally caught up with the Global WHO recommendation of breastfeeding 2 years and beyond (previously APPs recommendation was just 1 year of breastfeeding). APP sadly partners with and receives funds from Western multinationals, some of whom are WHO Code violators. The top donors to the AAP (since Jan 1 2022), include Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition Abbott Nutrition, By Heart, Novo Nordisk and Prolacta. Also its important to note the controversy around industry interference, influence, and conflicts of interest related to the US food guidelines https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2551&context=mjlr  From Time: “Experts Say Lobbying Skewed the U.S. Dietary Guidelines”. https://time.com/4130043/lobbying-politics-dietary-guidelines/

So, anyway, I’d be more inclined to follow WHO and UNICEF recommendations, and as you’re wisely doing, seeking the evidence for egg based intervention for children with documented impact. I’m hoping some of the info shared will be helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can support you further. I appreciate your work on this subject.

Wishing you all the best.