Almond ingestion contributes to improved cardiovascular health in sedentary older adults participating in a walking intervention: A pilot study

A small pilot study was conducted to assess synergy between almond ingestion and a walking intervention on cardiovascular health in sedentary adults. Participants (n = 12) followed an 8-week walking protocol (target: 10,000 steps/day), and for study weeks 6–8, participants were randomly assigned to almonds (ALM, 70 g/d) or an isocaloric control butter spread (CON). Protocol adherence was verified by plasma vitamin E measurement. Participant step count increased 23% from baseline levels for weeks 3–5 (p =.015) and remained ≥9800 steps/day for the study duration. Although improvements in cardiovascular health were not demonstrated by the walking protocol alone, total and LDL cholesterol were reduced in the ALM group only during study weeks 6–8 (−6 to −10%; p <.05), and lipid peroxidation tended to fall in the ALM group only as well (−25%; p =.082). These data highlight the value of including almonds in the diet when recommending a walking protocol for improving health.