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 who are overweight or obese

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: This article presents the secondary objectives of a previous randomized crossover controlled feeding trial, which was 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 adults who are overweight or obese. We hypothesized that following a Med-Pattern would improve outcomes, independent of red meat intake amount. Methods: Forty-one participants [mean ± SD age: 46 ± 2 y; body mass index (kg/m²): 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 mainly with poultry and dairy. Baseline and postintervention outcomes measured included perceived quality of life via the Medical Outcomes Study 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 did improve subdomains of physical health role limitations (SF-36v2: 93.6% at baseline and 96.7% postintervention; P = 0.038), vitality (SF-36v2: 57.9% at baseline and 63.0% postintervention; P = 0.020), and fatigue (POMS: 2.9 arbitrary units at baseline and 2.5 arbitrary units postintervention; P = 0.039). There were no differences between 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 at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02573129.