Consumption of ≥50 g/day of high-fat cheese, ≥20 g/day of high-fat cream associated with lower risk for all-cause dementia, vascular dementia
FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Higher intake of high-fat cheese and high-fat cream is associated with a lower risk for all-cause dementia, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in Neurology.
Yufeng Du, from Lanzhou University in China, and colleagues examined the association between high-fat and low-fat dairy intake and dementia risk using data for 27,670 participants from the Malmӧ Diet and Cancer prospective cohort in Sweden. Dietary intake was assessed using a diet history method combining a seven-day food diary, food frequency questionnaire, and dietary interview.
A total of 3,208 incident dementia cases were recorded during a median of 25 years of follow-up. The researchers found that compared with lower intake (<15 g/day), consumption of ≥50 g/day of high-fat cheese (>20 percent fat) was associated with a reduced risk for all-cause dementia and vascular dementia (hazard ratios, 0.87 and 0.71, respectively). Among APOE ε4 noncarriers, there was an inverse association between high-fat cheese and Alzheimer disease (AD; hazard ratio, 0.87). Individuals consuming ≥20 g/day of high-fat cream (>30 percent fat) had a lower risk for all-cause dementia compared with no consumption (hazard ratio, 0.84). Inverse associations were also seen for high-fat cream consumption with the risk for AD and vascular dementia. No association with all-cause dementia was seen for consumption of low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk (high- and low-fat), fermented milk (high- and low-fat), or butter.
“These findings suggest that when it comes to brain health not all dairy is equal,” coauthor Emily Sonestedt, Ph.D., of Lund University in Sweden, said in a statement. “While eating more high-fat cheese and cream was linked to a reduced risk of dementia, other dairy products and low-fat alternatives did not show the same effect. More research is needed to confirm our study results and further explore whether consuming certain high-fat dairy truly offers some level of protection for the brain.”
Two authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
Voice Disorders Linked to Elevated Risk for Incident Cognitive Decline .jpeg)
Higher Intake of Saturated, Animal Fats May Increase Mortality in Prostate Cancer 
NOACs Linked to Slower Cognitive Decline in Patients With A-Fib, Alzheimer Disease 
Dementia, Stroke Risk Elevated for Those With Severe Mental Illness 
Psychiatrists Only Agree 55 Percent of the Time on Diagnoses 
Risk for Ischemic Stroke Increased After Cancer Diagnosis 
Recommendations Updated for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation, Recovery 
Intensive BP Lowering Reduces Recurrent Stroke After Intracerebral Hemorrhage 
.jpg)