A significant study conducted in Sweden suggests that high-fat dairy consumption may be associated with a lower risk of dementia. Researchers analyzed data from the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort, which included 27,670 adults aged 45 to 73. Participants were tracked for an average of 25 years, providing insights into how dietary habits may influence cognitive health.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, categorized dairy products into high-fat and low-fat types. High-fat cheese was defined as containing more than 20% fat, while high-fat cream contained over 30% fat. Participants completed food diaries and questionnaires to track their consumption patterns, allowing researchers to assess the relationship between dairy intake and dementia risk.
Individuals who consumed at least 20 grams per day of high-fat cream were found to have approximately a 16% lower risk of developing all-cause dementia compared to non-consumers. Notably, those consuming high-fat cheese also exhibited a reduced risk of dementia. According to Emily Sonestedt, an associate professor of nutritional epidemiology at Lund University, the findings were somewhat surprising yet not entirely unexpected, particularly regarding vascular dementia, which is often linked to damage in the brain’s small blood vessels.
Over the follow-up period, 3,208 participants developed some form of dementia. The study highlighted that individuals consuming at least 50 grams of high-fat cheese daily had a lower risk of all-cause dementia compared to those consuming less than 15 grams. Interestingly, high butter intake was associated with a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while high-fat cheese appeared to offer protective benefits, especially among individuals without the APOE ε4 genetic variant, a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s.
Despite these promising correlations, the study’s observational nature means it cannot definitively establish causation. Factors such as age, sex, education, and lifestyle were adjusted in the analysis, but the precise role of high-fat dairy remains uncertain. Sonestedt cautioned that while the results are intriguing, they must be interpreted with care, especially given the study’s specific demographic context in Sweden, where hard, fermented cheeses are prevalent.
Moreover, the dietary data were collected only once, which means changes in consumption over time were not fully captured. The researchers also noted that the intake of cream was measured with less accuracy compared to cheese, further complicating the interpretation of the findings.
The study’s limitations include potential unmeasured factors that may influence dementia risk and the absence of detailed validation for dementia diagnoses made after 2014. Consequently, while the findings may suggest a link between high-fat dairy and cognitive health, they cannot be generalized without further research in diverse populations.
As discussions continue around dietary impacts on health, this research contributes to the evolving understanding of how specific food groups may influence long-term cognitive outcomes. Further studies could shed light on the mechanisms behind these associations and help clarify the role of diet in dementia prevention.
