CHAPTER 3: Egg Consumption for Appetite Control and Body Weight Regulation

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide. There is increasing evidence that a high-protein diet may contribute to body weight loss by increasing satiety. Egg protein is of particular interest as a potential food commodity for weight management because it is an inexpensive source of high-quality nutritional protein. The satiety effect of egg protein in humans and its possible regulatory mechanism has been investigated. At present, the role of egg protein in appetite control and body weight reduction remains controversial; however, there is convincing evidence showing that high egg diets increase satiety compared to low egg diets via increasing the secretion of anorexigenic hormones, such as peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Some evidence also suggests that high egg consumption results in increased weight loss and improved metabolic syndrome indexes, but the results have not been consistent. Future study on the long-term effects with a more precise diet-assessment method and the use of an accurate index of obesity would help to clarify the effects of eggs on appetite control and obesity.