A Mediterranean-Style Diet with Lean Beef Lowers Blood Pressure and Improves Vascular Function: Secondary Outcomes from a Randomized Crossover Trial.

Background: The Mediterranean (MED) dietary pattern improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Increased central systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness are independent predictors of CVD. The effect of a MED diet on these measures of vascular health has not been investigated. Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the effects of a MED diet incorporating 0.5 oz./d (MED0.5), 2.5 oz./d (MED2.5) and 5.5 oz./d (MED5.5) of lean beef compared with an Average American diet (AAD) on vascular health [brachial and central blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and augmentation index]. Methods: A multicenter, 4-period randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding study was conducted at Penn State University and USDA, Beltsville. In random sequence order, participants consumed each test diet for 4 wk. Vascular outcomes were assessed at baseline and the end of each diet period. Linear mixed models were used for analyses. Results: Between-diet differences were observed for peripheral and central blood pressure as well as PWV ( Conclusions: Compared with an AAD, MED diets containing 0.5 and 2.5 oz./d of lean beef improved brachial and central systolic and diastolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness. Our findings suggest that a MED diet with ≤5.5 oz./d of lean beef does not adversely affect vascular function.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02723617.