Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor/Mentor

Baum, Jamie

Committee Member

DuRant, Sarah

Second Committee Member

Ivey, Mack

Abstract

Postmenopausal women are a growing and at risk population that face increased risk for adverse changes in body composition, lipid profile, and overall cardiometabolic health due to hormonal changes associated with aging. Over 40% of postmenopausal women have obesity, which can be linked not just aging but the menopausal transition. Because of the negative effects of menopause on cardiometabolic, research into dietary interventions to combat these effects are needed. High-protein diets have shown promise in mitigating these effects, but sufficient research has not been done to determine the effects on postmenopausal women. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of daily beef consumption as a part of a high-protein diet on markers of cardiometabolic health, body composition, and energy metabolism in postmenopausal women over 8 weeks . In a randomized controlled trial, healthy postmenopausal women were assigned to either a high-protein diet that included daily lean beef consumption or a standard-protein diet with limited beef intake for 16 weeks. The evaluated markers for healthy aging were BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, resting energy expenditure (REE), and lipid profile. REE and lipid profile were both taken in a fasted state. Preliminary findings showed trends in the high-protein beef group for improvements in HDL cholesterol, REE, and waist-to-hip ratio. There was no change in BMI for either group and REE improved in both the intervention group and the control. The limited sample size and time allowing only for the first 8 weeks of data to be collected up to this point hindered the statistical significance of the data collected. As the study continues and sample sizes grow, more conclusive results will be found. The adverse health effects of menopause are a serious public health issue for a growing population. Sufficient research to provide this specific population nutritional information for healthy aging has not been thoroughly conducted, so this study is a step in the right direction of helping improve the wellness of postmenopausal women.

Keywords

Nutrition; Resting Energy Expenditure; Menopause; Postmenopausal; Protein

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