Western Diet on Cardiometabolic and Immune Function

Inclusion Criteria:

• ability to provide informed consent

• men and postmenopausal women aged 50-64 years

• systolic blood pressure < 130 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg

• body mass index (BMI) <30 kg/m2 and % body fat < 25% for men and < 33% for women

• fasting triglycerides < 200 mg/dl (< 2.3 mmol/L)

• low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol <160 mg/dl (4.14 mmol/L)

• fasting plasma glucose <126 mg/dl (<7.0 mmol/L)

• weight stable in the prior 6 months (≤ 2 kg weight change)

• blood chemistries indicative of normal liver enzymes and renal function (estimatedglomerular filtration rate using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD)prediction equation must be >60 ml/min/1.73 m^2)

Exclusion Criteria:

• current use of medications or supplements known to lower blood triglycerides orcholesterol (e.g., fibrates, statins, high dose niacin, high dose omega-3supplement)

• chronic clinical diseases (e.g., coronary artery/peripheral artery/cerebrovasculardiseases, heart failure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis,neurological or autoimmune conditions affecting cognition (e.g. Alzheimer's diseaseor other forms of dementia, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, largevessel infarct)

• major psychiatric disorder (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)

• current or past (i.e., last 3 months) use of anti-hypertensive or othercardiovascular-acting medications known to influence vascular function and/orarterial stiffness

• current medication use likely to affect central nervous system (CNS) functions (e.g.long active benzodiazepines)

• concussion within last 2 years and ≥ 3 lifetime concussions

• heavy alcohol consumption (≥8 drinks/week for women and ≥15 drinks/week for men)

• recent major change in health status within the previous 6 months (i.e., surgery,significant infection, or illness)

• current smoking within the past 3 months.