Overview
- In a Neurology paper, scientists analyzed 27,670 Malmö adults enrolled in 1991–96 and followed through 2020, identifying 3,208 dementia cases via national registries.
- Consuming at least 50 grams of high-fat cheese per day was linked to a 13% lower all-cause dementia risk, and at least 20 grams of high-fat cream per day to a 16% lower risk.
- The signal was strongest for vascular dementia, with higher high-fat cheese intake associated with about a 29% lower risk.
- A lower Alzheimer’s risk appeared only among non‑carriers of the APOE ε4 variant, while very high butter intake (≥40 grams/day) was associated with higher Alzheimer’s risk.
- Authors note the observational design, potential residual confounding, and limited generalizability to non-Swedish diets, as a smaller Japanese study also reported fewer dementia cases among weekly cheese eaters.