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Clinical Trials/NCT07269847
NCT07269847
Recruiting
Not Applicable

A Randomized Study to Compare the Effect of a Healthy Beef-Centric Diet to a Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern on Inflammation and Other Metabolic Health Outcomes in a Metabolic Syndrome and/or Pre-Diabetic Population

National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff1 site in 1 country56 target enrollmentStarted: February 10, 2026Last updated:

Overview

Phase
Not Applicable
Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff
Enrollment
56
Locations
1
Primary Endpoint
To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on inflammation in a metabolic syndrome (MetS) and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern

Overview

Brief Summary

This randomized study will be conducted to compare the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern on inflammation and other metabolic health outcomes in a metabolic syndrome and/or pre-diabetic population.

Detailed Description

This study follows a randomized, open-label, parallel design to compare the effects of a healthy beef-centric diet to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern on inflammation and other metabolic health outcomes in a metabolic syndrome and/or pre-diabetic population.

The comparator diet in this study is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern, as outlined in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which emphasizes the consumption of nutrient-dense foods across all food groups in recommended amounts. This includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean protein sources, and healthy oils, while limiting added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.

The test diet in this study involves a healthy beef-centric diet, where beef is the main source of protein. Participants will consume 70% of their daily energy intake from beef. The rest of their calories will come from other protein and fat sources (20%), along with a small amount (10%) from low-carbohydrate fruits (such as berries) and vegetables (like dark leafy greens). This diet excludes all grains. While the carbohydrate intake is low, it is slightly higher than that of a typical ketogenic diet.

The healthy beef-centric diet is being investigated for its effects on metabolic health after a 5 week intervention period. This study will investigate whether a beef-centric diet will support management of glycemic control, inflammation, and lipid-related risk factors, while also enhancing quality of life.

Study Design

Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel
Primary Purpose
Other
Masking
None

Eligibility Criteria

Ages
18 Years to 64 Years (Adult)
Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Participant must be 18 - 64 years of age (inclusive) at the time of signing the informed consent.
  • Have a BMI range of 25.0 - 39.9 kg/m2 (inclusive).
  • In otherwise generally good health as determined by the investigator.
  • Have blood hs-CRP levels equal to or greater than 2.0 mg/L at screening.
  • Have the following conditions at screening:
  • Pre-diabetes (defined as an HbA1c of 5.7-6.4% \[inclusive\]), and/or
  • MetS, i.e., have 3 of the 5 following metabolic criteria:
  • A waist circumference of more than 40 inches (102 cm) in men and 35 inches (88 cm) in women
  • Serum triglycerides level of 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) or greater
  • Reduced HDL cholesterol, less than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) in men or less than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women

Exclusion Criteria

  • Individuals who are lactating, planning to become pregnant during the study, or pregnant as confirmed by a positive pregnancy test at Visit
  • Have a known sensitivity, intolerability, or allergy to any of the components of the study dietary interventions and/or CGM sensor.
  • Have followed a ketogenic, Mediterranean, low-carbohydrate, vegetarian, vegan or any other special diet in the 6 months prior to screening.
  • Have been diagnosed with Type I or II diabetes or thyroid disease.
  • Have blood pressure of ≥ 160 systolic or ≥ 100 diastolic mmHg.
  • Have a history or current diagnosis of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
  • Have current symptoms, or symptoms within the past 7 days, of an acute infection (e.g., fever, respiratory symptoms such as persistent cough or difficulty breathing), that may influence study outcomes as assessed by the investigator.
  • Have medical condition(s) known to interfere with absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of protein, fat, or micronutrients (e.g., Crohn's disease, short bowel, acute or chronic pancreatitis, or pancreatic insufficiency).
  • Have a history of gallbladder disease (e.g., cholelithiasis, cholecystitis), cholecystectomy, gout, or kidney stones.
  • Have a history of heart/cardiovascular disease, renal disease (dialysis or renal failure), hepatic impairment/disease, immune disorders and/or immunocompromised (i.e., HIV/AIDS).

Arms & Interventions

Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern

Active Comparator

This diet is based on USDA's MyPlate dietary guidelines and includes a balanced intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy. This diet reflects a conventional, guideline-based approach to healthy eating.

Intervention: Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern (Other)

Healthy Beef-Centric Diet

Experimental

This is a whole-food dietary pattern that emphasizes beef as the primary source of protein. This diet is designed to reflect a low-carbohydrate, minimally processed eating pattern.

Intervention: Healthy Beef-Centric Diet (Other)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on inflammation in a metabolic syndrome (MetS) and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern

Time Frame: Baseline to Week 5

Change from baseline to Week 5 in inflammatory marker composite (combination of hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α)

Secondary Outcomes

  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on body weight in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on body mass index (BMI) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on glucose control (fasting insulin serum) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on glucose control (fasting glucose serum) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on glycemic patterns in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on quality of life in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (total cholesterol) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (HDL:LDL ratio) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (triglycerides) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (apolipoprotein B (ApoB)) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on blood lipids (lipid fraction) in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)
  • To evaluate the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet on short-term average glucose control in a MetS and/or pre-diabetic population, compared to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern(Baseline to Week 5)

Investigators

Sponsor
National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff
Sponsor Class
Industry
Responsible Party
Sponsor

Study Sites (1)

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