Full list* of press releases below. More information and press releases can also be found on our general BEIS web site at www.britegg.co.uk

19/03/01
Health Professionals Book Dispels the Dietary Cholesterol Myth

A new publication* for health professionals that reverses the misconceptions about eggs, cholesterol and heart disease, has been published.

The book is based on papers that were presented at a recent Royal Society of Medicine Food Forum on ‘Dietary Cholesterol As A Cardiac Risk Factor’. Among the papers from the conference, American expert and keynote speaker Dr Donald McNamara gives a US perspective on eggs, dietary cholesterol, current recommendations and cardiac risk. Other international academics, including: Professor Jim Mann of the University of Otago, New Zealand and Emeritus Professor Gilbert Thompson of Imperial College London, comment on the available evidence.

According to co-editor of the book, consultant nutritionist Dr Juliet Gray: "When it comes to cholesterol and heart disease risk, eggs have unfairly received a bad press in the past. Current recommendations overplay the negative impact of dietary cholesterol on heart health and wrongly place the emphasis on foods such as eggs rather than looking at the whole diet. This available evidence, in particular the recent research presented by Dr Donald McNamara should help to bring about a change in attitude towards eggs and cardiac risk in the medical profession.

"In light of this evidence, the American Heart Association has recently relaxed its recommendations on eggs. UK health professionals should therefore be encouraged to revise their own thinking."

Made possible through an educational grant from the British Egg Industry Council, ‘Dietary Cholesterol as a Cardiac Risk Factor: myth or reality’ is designed for the primary health care team as well as dietitians and nutritionists.

* Leeds AR, Gray J. Dietary cholesterol as a cardiac risk factor: myth or reality. Smith-Gordon Publishing ISBN:1-85463-213-2

For further information, please contact Cath MacDonald or Kevin Coles on 020 7370 7411

*All current Releases: