NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) IS CONNECTED WITH ALTERATIONS IN GUT MICROBES (THE MICROBIOTA) AND BILE ACIDS. RESEARCH SUGGESTS THERE ARE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE GUT, THE MICROBIOTA, AND THE LIVER, OR THE GUT-MICROBIOTA-LIVER AXIS. INDEED, GUT MICROBES MAY DIRECTLY INFLUENCE LIVER HEALTH THROUGH THE BY-PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCE. DIETARY PATTERNS THAT EMPHASIZE DIETARY FIBER AND MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS (MUFAS), SUCH AS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET, ARE LINKED TO BENEFICIAL CHANGES IN MICROBIAL COMMUNITY COMPOSITION AND REDUCTIONS IN LIVER FAT. AVOCADOS ARE UNIQUELY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET. THEY ARE RICH SOURCES OF DIETARY FIBER, MUFAS, AND PHYTOSTEROLS. HOWEVER, THE IMPACT OF AVOCADO INTAKE ON THE GUT-MICROBIOTA LIVER AXIS AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH AND WITHOUT NAFLD IS UNDER-STUDIED. ACCORDINGLY, THIS STUDY WILL ANALYZE SAMPLES OBTAINED FROM A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF AVOCADO CONSUMPTION AMONG ADULTS WITH OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY TO ADDRESS AN EXISTING RESEARCH GAP. OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) ASSESS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIET, GUT MICROBES, AND LIVER FAT; 2) ASSESS DIFFERENCES IN MICROBES, MICROBIAL BYPRODUCTS, AND BILE ACIDS BY COMPARING GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH AND LOW AMOUNTS OF LIVER FAT; AND 3) DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF AVOCADO CONSUMPTION ON THE GUT-MICROBIOTA-LIVER AXIS. THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WILL EVALUATE HOW EATING A NUTRIENT-DENSE WHOLE FOOD (AVOCADO) MAY HELP IMPROVE GUT AND LIVER HEALTH.