Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Related to Lipoprotein Metabolism Are Associated with Blood Lipid Changes following Regular Avocado Intake in a Randomized Control Trial among Adults with Overweight and Obesity.

Avocados are rich in unsaturated fat and fiber; clinical trials have investigated their effects on metabolic disease. There is high variability in individual changes following avocado consumption, which may be in part due to individual genetic differences.Secondary analyses of the Persea americana for Total Health (PATH) Study were used to examine how single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impact blood lipid changes following a daily meal containing avocado compared with control.Adults (n = 115, 37% male) aged 25-45 y with overweight and obesity were randomly assigned to receive a daily isocaloric meal with (intervention) or without (control) a standardized amount (males: 175 g; females: 140 g) of avocado for 12 wk. Control meals were higher in saturated fat (17% of energy compared with 7%) and lower in fiber (4 g compared with 16 g) than intervention meals. Whole venous blood was taken at baseline and 12 wk to determine total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) concentrations. Seventeen SNPs in 10 genes related to lipoprotein metabolism were genotyped. Effects of SNP, diet, and SNP-diet interactions were determined using general linear models.No group-by-time effects were detected for changes in TC (P = 0.96), HDL cholesterol (P = 0.28), or TG (P = 0.06) over 12 wk. Three SNP-diet interactions were associated with final TC concentrations: ANGPTL3-rs10889337 (P = 0.01), ANGPTL4-rs2278236 (P = 0.02), and CD36-rs10499859 (P = 0.01). SNPs in GCKR and LPL were associated with TC changes (P = 0.01). The interaction between GCKR-rs1260326 and diet was such that C-homozygotes receiving avocado (n = 23) had final TC concentrations that were significantly lower than the C-homozygotes in the control group (n = 20) (P = 0.02).Results from these exploratory analyses indicate that avocado consumption may help manage dyslipidemia in adults with overweight and obesity; however, effectiveness may differ by genetic profile. Understanding the role of genetic variation in variability following dietary intervention can potentially inform personalized nutrition recommendations.