High fat cheeses
High fat cheeses David Foodphototasty/Unsplash

Eating high-fat cheeses has long been viewed with suspicion by nutrition experts, but a major new study is forcing scientists to take a closer look.

Researchers tracking the diets and health of tens of thousands of adults over 25 years have found that people who regularly consumed around 50 grams of high-fat cheese a day had a lower risk of developing dementia than those who ate very little.

The findings, published in the journal Neurology, have attracted attention because they appear to challenge decades of advice favouring low-fat dairy products, particularly for long-term health.

A 25-year Study of Diet and Dementia

The research followed 27,670 adults in Sweden as part of the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort, a long-running observational study examining links between diet and disease.

Over roughly 25 years of follow-up, 3,208 participants developed dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Researchers analysed dementia risk in relation to cheese intake, focusing on high fat cheeses containing more than 20% fat. These included brie, gouda, cheddar, parmesan, gruyere and mozzarella.

How Cheese Intake was Measured

Participants recorded their diet at the start of the study using a combination of a seven-day food diary, a food-frequency questionnaire and an in-depth interview covering food preparation and eating habits.

Based on this data, researchers grouped participants according to how much cheese they consumed each day.

Those eating 50 grams or more of high fat cheese daily were compared with people who consumed less than 15 grams.

Lower Dementia Risk Linked to Higher Intake

Around 10% of participants in the high cheese intake group went on to develop dementia, compared with about 13% among those eating the least.

As reported by Science Alert, the study found that after adjusting for factors including age, sex, education and overall diet quality, higher consumers had a 13% lower risk of all-cause dementia.

The study was led by nutrition epidemiologist Yufeng Du, who said the results add to a growing body of research questioning simple assumptions about fat intake and brain health.

Why Low-Fat Dairy Did Not Show the Same Link

Importantly, the association did not extend to all dairy products. The researchers found no similar link between dementia risk and low-fat cheese, milk, cream or fermented dairy products such as yoghurt and kefir.

Butter produced mixed results. Higher intake was associated with a possible increase in Alzheimer's disease risk compared with people who ate no butter at all, suggesting that not all high fat dairy products have the same relationship with brain health.

Challenging Long-Held Nutrition Advice

For years, dietary guidelines in many countries have encouraged people to choose low-fat dairy to reduce saturated fat intake.

Commenting on the findings, nutrition epidemiologist Emily Sonestedt said the study challenges some of those long-held views, particularly when it comes to cognitive health.

However, she and other researchers stress that the findings do not mean people should dramatically change their diets based on cheese alone.

Expert Caution and Study Limitations

Independent experts have also urged caution. Tara Spires-Jones, who was not involved in the research, pointed out that diet was measured only once at the beginning of the study.

It is highly likely that participants' eating habits and lifestyles changed over the following 25 years, which could influence the results.

As an observational study, the research shows an association rather than proving that high fat cheeses directly reduce dementia risk.

Why the Findings Still Matter

With an estimated 57 million people worldwide living with dementia and no cure currently available, researchers are increasingly focused on identifying lifestyle factors that may reduce risk.

Diet remains a key area of interest, and the new findings add nuance to the debate over fats, dairy and long-term brain health.

While experts agree it would be unwise to rely on any single food to prevent dementia, the study highlights how complex the relationship between diet and cognitive decline may be, and why long-standing nutritional advice continues to evolve.

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