Daily avocado intake modestly lowers LDL particle levels linked to heart disease risk in adults with obesity

Eating one avocado per day for six months modestly reduced concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles in the blood of adults with abdominal obesity, according to a new analysis led by researchers at Penn State. The reduction corresponded to an estimated 4% lower risk of heart disease, the team reported.

The findings come from an ancillary study of the Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial, a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Results were published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology (doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2026.06.005). The analysis examined data from 786 participants (74% female; average age 51 years; average BMI 32.9) who had abdominal obesity, defined as waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women (psu.edu).

Participants were randomly assigned to either continue their usual diet and activity or to add one Hass avocado (approximately 168 g) daily while otherwise maintaining their normal routines. No other dietary counseling was provided. Blood samples collected at baseline and after 26 weeks were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for lipoprotein particles and subclasses.

Those in the avocado group showed a mean reduction in total LDL particle concentration of 49.1 nmol/L (95% CI: −83.6 to −14.5; P = .005) compared with the habitual-diet group (lipidjournal.com). Researchers noted that this magnitude of change is associated with an approximate 4% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. No significant between-group differences appeared for LDL particle size or subclasses, triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles, high-density lipoprotein particles, or apolipoproteins A or B.

Earlier results from the same trial had shown that daily avocado intake did not change body weight or waist circumference but produced a modest reduction in LDL cholesterol. The current analysis focused on particle number, a measure that can indicate elevated risk even when LDL cholesterol levels appear similar, because smaller or more numerous particles more readily contribute to arterial plaque (sciencedaily.com).

“If people want to improve the quality of their diet, making one small change might be a more feasible strategy than attempting to change their entire diet,” said first author Janhavi Damani, a postdoctoral scholar at Penn State. Senior author Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences, noted that earlier controlled-feeding studies had shown similar benefits, but this trial demonstrated effects under free-living conditions where diets are less predictable (eurekalert.org).

The LDL-particle reduction was consistent across participants regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, age, or body mass index. The Avocado Nutrition Center supported the research. Investigators advised that individuals consult a registered dietitian or physician for personalized dietary guidance. The original Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03528031).