High-fat cheese linked to lower dementia risk in major study

A 25-year study of nearly 28,000 Swedish adults has found something that might surprise anyone who's been told to cut back on cheese: eating more high-fat varieties like cheddar and Brie was associated with a 13% lower risk of developing dementia. For vascular dementia specifically, the protective effect was even stronger at 29%.

The research, published in Neurology, tracked people with an average age of 58 at the start. Over the study period, 3,208 developed dementia. Those who ate 50 grams or more of high-fat cheese daily (roughly the amount in a thick slice) had notably lower dementia rates than those eating less than 15 grams. People consuming 20 grams or more of high-fat cream daily showed a 16% lower dementia risk compared to non-consumers.

What makes high-fat dairy different

High-fat cheeses contain more than 20% fat, while high-fat creams like double cream sit at 30-40%. What's striking is that the study found no protective effect from low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk (high or low-fat), butter, or fermented dairy products. The specificity matters — not all dairy appears equal when it comes to brain health.

Emily Sonestedt, a nutritional epidemiologist at Lund University and study co-author, noted this challenges decades of dietary guidance. "For a long time, we've been told to limit cheese," she explained. "This study suggests some high-fat dairy products may actually lower dementia risk, which contradicts some long-held assumptions about fat and brain health."

There's an interesting wrinkle with Alzheimer's disease specifically. People eating more high-fat cheese showed lower Alzheimer's risk, but only among those without the APOE e4 gene variant — a known genetic risk factor for the disease. For those carrying the variant, the cheese consumption didn't show the same protective effect.

The Swedish context

One important limitation: all participants were Swedish, and the way cheese is consumed varies by culture. In Sweden, cheese is typically eaten uncooked, while Americans often heat it or pair it with meat. These preparation methods might matter for how the body processes the compounds that appear protective. The findings may not translate directly to other populations or eating patterns.

Sonestedt is cautious about overstating the results. "More research is needed to confirm these findings and explore whether consuming certain high-fat dairy truly offers protection for the brain," she said. The next phase will likely involve understanding why these specific dairy products show this association — whether it's the fat itself, other compounds in cheese, or something about how the Swedish diet patterns work together.