Daily Complementary Feeding With Eggs Improves Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 in Infants

Abstract

This secondary analysis of the Eggcel‐growth study investigated the effect of daily egg intake for 6 months in infants aged 6–9 months on environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) biomarkers and the association of EED markers with growth faltering. A randomised controlled trial was conducted in Jouberton, South Africa, among 500 infants randomly assigned equally to either an intervention group receiving a daily chicken egg or a control group. Both groups were followed up for 6 months. Data on infant and maternal sociodemographic information and anthropometric status of infants were collected. EED and inflammatory markers were analysed using Q‐Plex Human EED (11‐Plex) assay. There was a significant reduction in fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) concentration in the intervention group (B = −0.132; 95% CI −0.255, −0.010; p = 0.035). Baseline, insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) was positively associated with endpoint length‐for‐age z‐score (LAZ), weight‐for‐age z‐score (WAZ) and weight‐for‐length z‐score (WLZ) and there was an inverse relationship between baseline FGF21 and intestinal fatty acid‐binding protein (I‐FABP) with endpoint growth indicators. Baseline IGF‐1 was positively associated with reduced odds of wasting, stunting and being underweight (p < 0.001) and baseline FGF21 was associated with increased odds of stunting (p = 0.002), wasting (p = 0.031) and being underweight (p = 0.035). There was a 20% increased odds of stunting with baseline I‐FABP (p = 0.045) and a 30% increased odds of being underweight with baseline soluble CD14 (p = 0.039). Complementary feeding with eggs decreased growth hormone resistance (reduced FGF21 levels); however, FGF21 and I‐FABP levels were linked to increased growth faltering.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05168085