The goal of this study is to examine the impact of a diet high in fresh lean pork, compared to a plant-based diet, on cardiovascular function and vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal women with overweight and obesity. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. How does a diet high in pork, compared to a plant-based diet, affects blood lipids, endothelial function, and blood pressure? 2. How does a diet high in pork, compared to a plant-based diet, affects blood nitrate, cardiometabolic biomarkers, inflammatory biomarkers, and vasomotor symptoms?
Researchers will compare the diet high in pork to a plant-based diet to see if pork helps improve cardiovascular and mesopause symptoms.
Participants will:
* Consume both of the diets, each for 4 weeks, with a washout period between 2 and 6 weeks in between the diets trials * Visit the clinic 5 times with weekly meal pick ups during the diet trials * Undergo testing procedures including: weight and body composition, blood pressure and pulse, endothelial function using ultrasound of upper arm, microvascular blood flow, blood draws, physical activity measurements, and questionnaires.
Are female
Are between 40 and 55 years of age
Have a BMI (a number calculated from participant height and weight) between 28 and45 kg/m2
Are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles but have not gone longer than 12 consecutive months without a period
Hysterectomy (partial or full) or oophorectomy
Using hormone replacement therapy use and/or hormonal contraception use 6 months prior to study start
Has systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg)
Triglycerides ≥350 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥190 mg/dL, and/or taking a lipid-lowering medication -Diagnosed cardiovascular disease, diabetes (type 1 or 2), or endocrine- related disease (e.g. thyroid, PCOS), unstable gastrointestinal disease, kidney, liver, and/or pancreatic disease