Effect of Daily Avocado Intake on Cardiovascular Health Assessed by Life’s Essential 8: An Ancillary Study of HAT, a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: The effect of single food-based dietary interventions on the American Heart Association’s cardiovascular health score, Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of daily avocado intake for 26 weeks on LE8 in adults with abdominal obesity. METHODS AND RESULTS: An ancillary analysis including participants (n=969; aged 51±14 years) from the HAT (Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial), a randomized controlled trial, was conducted. The Avocado-Supplemented Diet Group was provided with 1 avocado per day, and the Habitual Diet Group was instructed to maintain their usual diet. LE8 component scores (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure) were calculated using a modified American Heart Association algorithm. The LE8 score was calculated as the unweighted average of each component (range, 0–100 points). Between-group differences in the 26-week change in LE8 were assessed using general linear models. No significant between-group difference in the 26-week change in the LE8 score from baseline was observed (0.79 points [95% CI, −0.41 to 2.00]). However, avocado intake increased the LE8 component scores for diet (3.53 points [95% CI, 1.38–5.68]), sleep health (3.20 points [95% CI, 0.38–6.02]), and blood lipids (3.46 points [95% CI, 1.03–5.90]) compared with the Habitual Diet Group. CONCLUSIONS: Intake of 1 avocado per day for 26 weeks did not significantly affect the total cardiovascular health score in US adults with abdominal obesity. However, diet quality, sleep health, and blood lipids improved with daily avocado intake.