A new study tracking over 27,000 Swedes for 25 years suggests that consuming more full-fat cheese and cream may reduce the risk of dementia. Participants eating higher amounts of these dairy products developed dementia less frequently than those who ate little or none. However, the findings indicate an association, not causation, and apply specifically to high-fat varieties.
Published on December 17, 2025, in the journal Neurology, the study examined dietary habits and dementia outcomes among 27,670 adults in Sweden, who were around 58 years old at the start. Over the 25-year follow-up, 3,208 participants were diagnosed with dementia. Researchers analyzed food intake records, including weekly consumption logs and frequency questions, to assess dairy patterns.
High-fat cheeses, defined as those with more than 20% fat like cheddar, Brie, and Gouda, showed a notable link. Those consuming 50 grams or more daily—equivalent to about two slices of cheddar—had a 13% lower dementia risk compared to those eating less than 15 grams, after adjusting for age, sex, education, and diet quality. Dementia rates were 10% in the higher-intake group versus 13% in the lower. The association was strongest for vascular dementia, with a 29% risk reduction. For Alzheimer's, the benefit appeared only in individuals without the APOE e4 genetic variant.
Similarly, daily intake of at least 20 grams of high-fat cream—such as whipping or double cream with 30-40% fat, about 1.4 tablespoons—correlated with a 16% lower dementia risk compared to none. No such patterns emerged for low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk (high- or low-fat), butter, or fermented products like yogurt.
"For decades, the debate over high-fat versus low-fat diets has shaped health advice, sometimes even categorizing cheese as an unhealthy food to limit," said lead researcher Emily Sonestedt, PhD, from Lund University. "Our study found that some high-fat dairy products may actually lower the risk of dementia, challenging some long-held assumptions about fat and brain health."
Sonestedt added, "These findings suggest that when it comes to brain health not all dairy is equal." The study, funded by Swedish organizations including the Swedish Research Council, highlights limitations: all participants were Swedish, where cheese is often eaten uncooked, unlike in places like the United States. Further research is needed to confirm if these foods protect brain health across populations.
