A new study published in Neurology suggests that consuming high-fat cheese and high-fat cream may be associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. However, the researchers emphasised that the findings show an association, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
What Counts as High-Fat Dairy
High-fat cheeses contain more than 20% fat and include popular varieties such as cheddar, Brie and Gouda. Similarly, high-fat creams typically contain 30–40% fat, including whipping cream, double cream and clotted cream. In retail settings, these products are commonly labelled as “full-fat” or “regular.”
Challenging Long-Held Dietary Assumptions
Commenting on the findings, Emily Sonestedt, PhD, of Lund University, Sweden, said that for decades, health advice has often favoured low-fat diets, sometimes portraying cheese as an unhealthy food. In contrast, the study indicates that certain high-fat dairy products may actually support brain health and lower dementia risk, thereby challenging long-standing assumptions about dietary fat.
Study Design and Participant Profile
Researchers analysed data from 27,670 participants in Sweden, with an average age of 58 years at the start of the study. They followed the participants for an average of 25 years, during which 3,208 individuals developed dementia.
To assess dietary habits, participants recorded their food intake for one week, answered questions about how frequently they consumed specific foods over previous years, and discussed food preparation methods with researchers.
High-Fat Cheese Intake and Dementia Risk
As reported by medicalxpress, the researchers compared individuals who consumed 50 grams or more of high-fat cheese daily with those who consumed less than 15 grams per day. For context, 50 grams is roughly equivalent to two slices of cheddar or half a cup of shredded cheese.
By the end of the study, 10% of participants with higher high-fat cheese intake developed dementia, compared to 13% among those with lower intake. After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, education and overall diet quality, the analysis showed that higher consumption of high-fat cheese was associated with a 13% lower risk of dementia.
Furthermore, when examining specific dementia types, researchers observed a 29% lower risk of vascular dementia among those who consumed more high-fat cheese. They also noted a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but only in participants who did not carry the APOE e4 gene variant, a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s.
Daily Cream Consumption Shows Similar Trend
In addition, researchers compared participants who consumed 20 grams or more of high-fat cream daily with those who consumed none. Twenty grams is approximately 1.4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, which falls within the recommended serving size of one to two tablespoons.
After making similar adjustments, the study found that daily consumers of high-fat cream had a 16% lower risk of developing dementia compared to non-consumers.
No Association Found With Other Dairy Products
In contrast, the study found no link between dementia risk and the consumption of low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, high- or low-fat milk, butter or fermented milk products such as yogurt, kefir and buttermilk.
According to Sonestedt, these findings suggest that not all dairy products affect brain health in the same way. While high-fat cheese and cream showed a potential protective association, other dairy products did not demonstrate similar benefits.
Study Limitations and Need for Further Research
Despite the promising observations, the researchers acknowledged key limitations. All participants were from Sweden, which means the results may not apply to other populations. Sonestedt also pointed out that dietary habits differ across countries; for example, people in Sweden often consume cheese uncooked, whereas in the United States, cheese is frequently heated or eaten with meat.
Therefore, she emphasised the need for further studies in diverse populations to confirm the findings and better understand whether specific high-fat dairy products can genuinely help protect brain health.