Substituting Lean Beef for Carbohydrate in a Healthy Dietary Pattern Does Not Adversely Affect the Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Profile in Men and Women at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
bservational evidence suggests that red meat intake is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease incidence, but few randomized controlled trials have assessed effects of lean, unprocessed red meat intake on insulin sensitivity and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Objective:
This study compared the USDA Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern, low in saturated fat and red meat (<40 g/d red meat; USDA-CON), with a modified version with an additional 150 g/d lean beef as an isocaloric replacement for carbohydrate (USDA-LB) on insulin sensitivity and cardiometabolic risk markers.
Methods:
Participants (7 men, 26 women; 44.4 y old) with overweight/obesity [BMI (kg/m2) = 31.3] and prediabetes and/or metabolic syndrome completed this randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding trial consisting of two 28-d treatments (USDA-CON and USDA-LB) separated by a ≥14-day washout. Insulin sensitivity (primary outcome variable), lipoprotein lipids, apolipoproteins (apoA-I and apoB), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (secondary outcome variables), in plasma or serum, and blood pressures were assessed at baseline and the end of each diet period.
Results:
USDA-LB and USDA-CON did not differ significantly in effects on whole-body insulin sensitivity and other indicators of carbohydrate metabolism, lipoprotein lipids, apoA-I and apoB, hs-CRP, and blood pressures. USDA-LB produced a shift toward less cholesterol carried by smaller LDL subfractions compared with USDA-CON [least-squares geometric mean ratios for LDL1+2 cholesterol of 1.20 (P = 0.016) and LDL3+4 cholesterol of 0.89 (P = 0.044)] and increased peak LDL time versus USDA-CON (1.01;P = 0.008).
Conclusions:
Substituting lean, unprocessed beef for carbohydrate in a Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern resulted in a shift toward larger, more buoyant LDL subfractions, but otherwise had no significant effects on the cardiometabolic risk factor profile in men and women with prediabetes and/or metabolic syndrome.
This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03202680.
Keywords:
insulin sensitivity
carbohydrate metabolism
lipoproteins
meat
beef
USDA
diet patterns
metabolic syndrome
prediabetes
Abbreviations used:
BOLD
Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet
DASH
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
HOMA2-%B
homeostasis model assessment 2-B-cell function
HOMA2-%S
homeostasis model assessment 2-insulin sensitivity
hs-CRP
high sensitivity C-reactive protein
ISI
insulin sensitivity index
IVGTT
intravenous-glucose-tolerance test
Kg
fractional disappearance of glucose constant
TC
total cholesterol
TG
triglyceride
T2D
type 2 diabetes
UFA
unsaturated fatty acid
USDA-CON
a USDA Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern, as outlined by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, containing <40 g/d red meat
USDA-LB
a USDA Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern, as outlined by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, modified to incorporate an additional 150 g/d of fresh/unprocessed lean beef to that of the USDA-CON diet, in place of carbohydrate, primarily refined starches
VAP
Vertical Auto Profile
Cited by (0)
This research was funded by The Beef Checkoff. The Beef Checkoff provided comments on early aspects of the study design. Interim analyses and the final data were shared with the sponsor prior to publication, but the substance and conclusions are those of the authors alone.
Author disclosures: KCM has received research funding and/or consulting fees from the Almond Board of California, Egg Nutrition Center, General Mills, Inc., Hass Avocado Board, Kellogg Company, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and the National Dairy Council. KCM and OMP have also received research funding from the National Pork Board. This funding was not used to support this analysis. Likewise, the other authors are employees of Midwest Biomedical Research Center for Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health, which has received funding from the aforementioned organizations.
