People who regularly eat eggs may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study has found.

Few studies have assessed the link between egg consumption and diabetes and any findings have been inconclusive, so researchers in Finland decided to investigate further.

They looked at the dietary habits of more than 2,300 men aged between 42 and 60 years. The men were followed up over a period of almost 20 years and during that time, 432 developed type 2 diabetes.

The study found that those who regularly consumed eggs had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and they also had lower blood glucose levels.

Those who consumed around four eggs per week had a 37% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to men who consumed one egg per week. These results stood even after other influencing factors were taken into account, such as body mass index, exercise levels and smoking.

However, the researchers noted that eating more than four eggs per week did not result in any additional benefits.

They said that while eggs contain cholesterol, they also contain many beneficial nutrients that can have an impact on, for example, the body's metabolism of glucose, potentially leading to a reduced risk of diabetes.

Details of these findings are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.