Avocado consumption decreases LDL particle number and small, dense LDL cholesterol in overweight and obese subjects (249.8)

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of a moderate fat diet high in MUFA provided by one avocado per day on lipoprotein particle number and lipoprotein subfractions compared to a moderate fat diet (with equivalent fatty acid content) and a lower fat diet. A randomized 3‐period cross‐over, controlled feeding study was conducted in healthy, overweight and obese men and women (n=45, 21‐70 years, BMI 25‐35 kg/m2) with LDL‐C in the 25‐90th percentile. Following a 2 wk run‐in average American diet (AAD), 3 isocaloric diets (5 wk each) were fed: 1) a lower‐fat diet (LF: 24% fat, 59% CHO, 16% PRO); 2) a moderate fat diet providing one HASS avocado/day (136g) (AV: 34% fat, 49% CHO, 16% PRO); and 3) a moderate fat diet using high oleic acid oil as the main source of MUFA (MF: 34% fat, 49% CHO, 16% PRO). Fasting blood samples were collected after each diet. Lipoprotein subfractions were measured by the vertical auto profile (VAP), lipoprotein particle number was measured directly by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR LipoProfile). Compared to the AAD, only the AV diet significantly decreased LDL particle number (LDL‐P) (‐5.8%, p=0.006). The MF diet did not change LDL‐P significantly (‐2.9%, p=0.2), and there was a trend for an increased LDL‐P on the LF diet (3.8%, p=0.08). We observed similar reductions of cholesterol in large, buoyant LDL particles (LDL1+2). However, only the AV diet significantly reduced cholesterol in small, dense LDL (sdLDL) (LDL3: ‐8.7%, P<0.01; LDL3+4: ‐5.6%, P=0.05) and the sdLDL level after consumption of AV diet was significantly lower than MF diet (p<0.05). The change in LDL‐P by diets was significantly correlated with the change in sdLDL (r=0.58, p<0.001) and apoB (r=0.69, p<0.001) but was not correlated with large, buoyant LDL (r=0.06, p=0.5). In conclusion, incorporation of one avocado/day as part of a healthy, moderate fat diet has beneficial effects beyond its MUFA content on decreasing both LDL‐P and sdLDL in overweight and obese subjects. ClincalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01235832.