Abstract Body: Background: Pecan consumption consistently improves lipids and lipoproteins, but less research has investigated the effect of pecan consumption on lipoprotein subfractions.
Objectives: The aim was to investigate how substitution of usual snack foods with 57 g/day of pecans affects the concentration of lipoprotein particle subfractions, lipoprotein particle size and apolipoproteins compared to continuing usual intake after 12 weeks in adults at risk for cardiometabolic diseases. Exploratory analyses were done to evaluate early markers of insulin resistance including the Lipoprotein Insulin Resistance score (LPIR), Diabetes Risk Index (DRI), and GlycA.
Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from a 12-week randomized controlled trial including adults at risk for cardiometabolic disease. Participants were randomized to either consume 57 g/day of pecans in place of usual snacks or to continue their usual intake. EDTA plasma samples collected at baseline and after the 12 week-intervention period were used for analysis. Samples were analyzed via proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for lipoprotein subfractions, apolipoproteins, GlycA, and branched chain amino acids. Lipoprotein subfractions and branched chain amino acids were used to calculate the LPIR and DRI.
Results: The pecan group had a greater reduction from baseline in the concentrations of apolipoprotein B (apoB) (-4.38 mg/dL; 95% CI -8.02, -0.73), total LDL (-75.3 nmol/L; 95% CI -144, -6.93), total triglyceride rich lipoproteins (TRLP) (-20.4 nmol/L; 95% CI -33.8, -7.03), large TRLP (-1.47 nmol/L; 95% CI -2.69, -0.26), small TRLP (-11.3 nmol/L; 95% CI -22.4, -0.27), and the LPIR (-4.42 points; 95% CI -8.14, -0.69) and greater increases from baseline in the concentration of large high density lipoproteins (HDL) (0.35 μmol/L; 95% CI 0.07, 0.63) and HDL subspecies, H5 (0.40 μmol/L; 95% CI 0.10, 0.62) compared to the usual diet group. There were no between-group differences in branched chain amino acids or the DRI.
Conclusions: Incorporating 57 g/day of pecans into the diet in place of usual snacks for 12 weeks reduced apoB, atherogenic lipoprotein subfractions, and an early marker of insulin resistance compared to usual intake.