Adopting a Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern with Different Amounts of Lean Unprocessed Red Meat Does Not Influence Short-Term Subjective Personal Well-Being in Adults with Overweight or Obesity

BACKGROUND: Reducing red meat intake is commonly recommended. Limited observational studies suggest that healthy eating patterns with red meat are associated with improved quality of life. OBJECTIVE: The secondary objectives of this randomized crossover controlled-feeding trial were to assess the effects of following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern (Med-Pattern) with different amounts of red meat on indexes of personal well-being (i.e., perceived quality of life, mood, and sleep) in overweight or obese adults. We hypothesized that following a Med-Pattern would improve these outcomes, independent of red meat intake amount. METHODS: Forty-one participants [aged 46 ± 2 y; body mass index (kg/m(2)): 30.5 ± 0.6;n = 28 women,n = 13 men) were provided Med-Pattern foods for two 5-wk periods separated by 4 wk of self-selected eating. The Med-Red Pattern contained ∼500 g/wk (typical US intake), and the Med-Control Pattern contained ∼200 g/wk (commonly recommended intake in heart-healthy eating patterns) of lean, unprocessed beef or pork compensated with mainly poultry and dairy. Baseline and postintervention outcomes measured were perceived quality of life via the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, version 2 (SF-36v2), daily mood states via the Profile of Mood States (POMS), sleep perceptions via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and sleep patterns via actigraphy. Data were analyzed via a doubly repeated-measures ANOVA adjusted for age, sex, and body mass at each time point. RESULTS: Following a Med-Pattern did not change domains of physical health, mental health, total mood disturbances, sleep perceptions, and sleep patterns but improved subdomains of physical health role limitations (SF-36v2: 93.6–96.7%;P = 0.038), vitality (SF-36v2: 57.9–63.0%;P = 0.020), and fatigue (POMS: 2.9–2.5 arbitrary units;P = 0.039). There were no differences between the Med-Red and Med-Control Patterns (time × pattern,P-interaction > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Following a Med-Pattern, independent of lean, unprocessed red meat intake, may not be an effective short-term strategy to meaningfully improve indexes of personal well-being in adults who are overweight or obese. This trial was registered atclinicaltrials.gov as NCT02573129.