The paper, written by Alison Smith, a member of the British Dietetic Association’s specialist Nutrition Advisory Group for Older People, and an advisor to British Lion eggs, highlights the risk of sarcopenia – loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength – which is estimated to affect up to 24 per cent of 50-70 year-olds and up to 50 per cent of people over 80.

The paper reports that older people have an increasing need for protein, and the timing of protein intake may also be critical to maintaining muscle mass, with research suggesting that intake of high biological protein, such as that found in eggs, should be distributed equally between three or more meals each day.

In addition, eggs also contain a number of specific nutrients that are particularly important for older people: the amino acid leucine, which may be helpful in increasing uptake of protein, and vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is common in older adults and low levels are associated with increased risk of sarcopenia.