Effect of Daily Avocado Consumption on Vascular Health in Adults With Abdominal Obesity: A Sub-Study of the Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial, a Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

\n \n \n To examine the effect of providing 1 avocado per day for consumption over a 6-month period on cardiovascular health compared to habitual dietary intake in individuals with abdominal obesity.\n \n \n \n The Habitual diet and Avocado Trial (HAT), a multicenter parallel randomized controlled trial, included participants\xa0≥25 years of age with an elevated waist circumference (≥88\xa0cm women; ≥102\xa0cm men). Participants were randomized to either an experimental group (AVO: consumed 1 avocado/day for 6 months) or a control group (HD: consumed <\xa02 avocados/month for 6 months). At the Pennsylvania State University, University Park (n\xa0=\xa0126), vascular health was measured using a SphygmoCor XCEL (AtCor Medical) at baseline and\n at the end of the study period. Outcomes include central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), central diastolic blood pressure (cDBP), and pulse wave velocity (PWV), a marker of arterial stiffness. Mixed models were used to examine between-group differences in change across 6 months.\n \n \n \n The sample was 77% female (BMI 34\xa0±\xa04\xa0kg/m2, waist circumference 105\xa0±\xa012 cm).\xa0No significant between-group differences in 6-month change were observed for cSBP (AVO: 1.06\xa0mmHg 95% CI\xa0−\xa01.57, 3.69; HD: 0.35\xa0mmHg 95% CI\xa0−2.26, 2.96; P\xa0=\xa00.62), cDBP (AVO: 0.07\xa0mmHg 95% CI\xa0−1.82, 1.96; HD: −0.91\xa0mmHg 95% CI\xa0−\xa02.79, 0.97; P\xa0=\xa00.34), or PWV (AVO: −0.18\xa0m/s 95% CI\xa0−0.53, 0.17; HD: 0.08\xa0m/s 95% CI\xa0−0.27, 0.43; P\xa0=\xa00.17).\n \n \n \n Results suggest that providing adults with abdominal obesity 1 avocado per day to consume for 6 months is not associated with a statistically significant improvement in central blood pressure or PWV, compared to adults following their habitual diet. Additional research using larger samples and longer intervention periods is needed to clarify whether habitual avocado consumption yields clinically significant benefits to cardiovascular health.\n \n \n \n Hass Avocado Board and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (1UL1TR002014-01).\n