Diets with high-fat cheese, high-fat meat, or carbohydrate on cardiovascular risk markers in overweight postmenopausal women: a randomized crossover trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Heart associations recommend limited intake of saturated fat. However, effects of saturated fat on low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations and cardiovascular disease risk might depend on nutrients and specific saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in food.

OBJECTIVE:

We explored the effects of cheese and meat as sources of SFAs or isocaloric replacement with carbohydrates on blood lipids, lipoproteins, and fecal excretion of fat and bile acids.

DESIGN:

The study was a randomized, crossover, open-label intervention in 14 overweight postmenopausal women. Three full-diet periods of 2-wk duration were provided separated by 2-wk washout periods. The isocaloric diets were as follows: 1) a high-cheese (96-120-g) intervention [i.e., intervention containing cheese (CHEESE)], 2) a macronutrient-matched nondairy, high-meat control [i.e., nondairy control with a high content of high-fat processed and unprocessed meat in amounts matching the saturated fat content from cheese in the intervention containing cheese (MEAT)], and 3) a nondairy, low-fat, high-carbohydrate control (i.e., nondairy low-fat control in which the energy from cheese fat and protein was isocalorically replaced by carbohydrates and lean meat (CARB).

RESULTS:

The CHEESE diet caused a 5% higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol concentration (P = 0.012), an 8% higher apo A-I concentration (P < 0.001), and a 5% lower apoB:apo A-I ratio (P = 0.008) than did the CARB diet. Also, the MEAT diet caused an 8% higher HDL-cholesterol concentration (P < 0.001) and a 4% higher apo A-I concentration (P = 0.033) than did the CARB diet. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apoB, and triacylglycerol were similar with the 3 diets. Fecal fat excretion was 1.8 and 0.9 g higher with the CHEESE diet than with CARB and MEAT diets (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively) and 0.9 g higher with the MEAT diet than with the CARB diet (P = 0.005). CHEESE and MEAT diets caused higher fecal bile acid excretion than did the CARB diet (P < 0.05 and P = 0.006, respectively). The dominant type of bile acids excreted differed between CHEESE and MEAT diets.

CONCLUSIONS:

Diets with cheese and meat as primary sources of SFAs cause higher HDL cholesterol and apo A-I and, therefore, appear to be less atherogenic than is a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Also, our findings confirm that cheese increases fecal fat excretion. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01739153.

• Authors: Tanja K Thorning, Farinaz Raziani, Nathalie T Bendsen, Arne Astrup, Tine Tholstrup, Anne Raben
• Journal: The American journal of clinical nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr) Vol. 102 Issue 3 Pg. 573-81 (Sep 2015) ISSN: 1938-3207 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26178720 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Chemical References

• Apolipoprotein A-I
• Apolipoproteins B
• Biomarkers
• Blood Glucose
• Cholesterol, HDL
• Cholesterol, LDL
• Dietary Carbohydrates
• Dietary Fats
• Insulin
• Triglycerides

Topics

• Aged
• Apolipoprotein A-I (blood)
• Apolipoproteins B (blood)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Blood Pressure
• Body Mass Index
• Body Weight
• Cardiovascular Diseases (blood)
• Cheese
• Cholesterol, HDL (blood)
• Cholesterol, LDL (blood)
• Cross-Over Studies
• Diet, High-Fat
• Dietary Carbohydrates (administration & dosage)
• Dietary Fats (administration & dosage)
• Energy Intake
• Fasting
• Female
• Humans
• Insulin (blood)
• Meat
• Middle Aged
• Overweight (blood)
• Postmenopause
• Risk Factors
• Triglycerides (blood)
• Waist Circumference