Egg Intake and the Incidence of Alzheimer's Disease in the Adventist Health Study-2 Cohort Linked with Medicare Data - PubMed
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.
Egg Intake and the Incidence of Alzheimer's Disease in the Adventist Health Study-2 Cohort Linked with Medicare DataJisoo Ohet al. J Nutr. 2026 Jun. AbstractBackground: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. Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the association between egg consumption and the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Methods:Data were drawn from the Adventist Health Study-2, a large, prospective cohort of United States 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 per week. The analytic sample included 39,498 participants (mean follow-up: 15. 3 y), among whom 2858 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/d). Results:Egg consumption was inversely associated with Alzheimer's disease risk. Compared with 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 per month, 0. 83 (0. 74, 0. 94) for once per week, 0. 80 (0. 71, 0. 90) for 2-4 times per week, and 0. 73 (0. 60, 0. 89) for ≥5 times per week. In the spline model, zero egg intake was curvilinearly associated with an adjusted HR of 1. 22 (1. 11, 1. 34) compared with 10 g/d. Conclusions: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. Keywords:Adventist Health Study-2; Alzheimer’s disease; Medicare; cohort study; egg intake. Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. PubMed DisclaimerConflict of interest statementConflict of interest The authors report no conflicts of interest. FiguresFIGURE 1Restricted cubic spline model depicting the association between energy-adjusted egg intake (g/d) and risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Adjusted HRs are estimated with 10 g/d as the reference value; shaded areas represent 95% CI. CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio. ReferencesStefaniak O. , Dobrzyńska M. , Drzymała-Czyż S. , Przysławski J. Diet in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease: current knowledge and future research requirements. Nutrients. 2022;14(21):4564. doi: 10. 3390/nu14214564. -DOI-PMC-PubMedPrince M. , Albanese E. , Guerchet M. , Prina M. World Alzheimer Report 2014: Dementia and risk reduction: An analysis of protective and modifiable risk factors. Alzheimer’s Disease International; London: 2014. Vincent G. K. , Velkoff V. A. The next four decades: The older population in the United States: 2010 to 2050 (Current Population Reports, P25-1138) U. S. Census Bureau, U. S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration; Washington, DC: 2010. Wen B. , Han X. , Gong J. , Wang P. , Sun W. , Xu C. , et al. Nutrition: a non-negligible factor in the pathogenesis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's Dement. 2025;21(2) doi: 10. 1002/alz. 14547. -DOI-PMC-PubMedJurcău M. C. , Andronie-Cioara F. L. , Jurcău A. , Marcu F. , Ţiț D. M. , Paşcalău N. , et al. The link between oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease: therapeutic implications and future perspectives. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(11):2167. doi: 10. 3390/antiox11112167. -DOI-PMC-PubMedLinkOut - more resourcesFull Text SourcesElsevier SciencePubMed CentralMedicalMedlinePlus Health InformationMiscellaneousNCI CPTAC Assay Portal