Feb 4, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating too many eggs too often may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study published in the Feb 2009 issue of Diabetes Care suggests.

The study led by Djousse L and colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts found that higher consumption of eggs per week was linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes both in men and women.

The study examined data from two completed randomized trials, the Physicians' Health Study I involving 20,703 participants and the Women’s Health Study involving 36,295 women.

During the 20-year follow-up in men and 11.7-year follow-up in women, 1,921 men and 2,112 women were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Djousse L and colleagues found that compared with those who did not consume eggs, men who ate less than 1, 1, 2 to 4, 5 to 6 and 7 or more eggs per week had their risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 9, 9, 18, 46, and 58 percent respectively.

Compared with women who did not eat eggs, the risk of type 2 diabetes in those who ate less than 1, 1, 2 to 4, 5 to 6 and 7 or more eggs per week was increased by 6, -3, 19, 18, and 77 percent respectively.

The researchers concluded the findings suggest that high levels of daily egg consumption are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women.  

But they also said these findings need to be confirmed in other populations.