Study Links High-Fat Cheese to Lower Dementia Risk

A new study from Swedish researchers suggests that regular consumption of high-fat cheese may lower the risk of developing dementia, challenging long-standing dietary advice to limit such foods. The findings, based on data from nearly 28,000 adults tracked over 25 years, indicate that people who ate about two slices of high-fat cheese daily had a 13 percent reduced risk of all-cause dementia compared to those who consumed little or none.

The research, published this week in the journal Neurology, drew from the Malmö Diet and Cancer study at Lund University. Participants, who were an average age of 58 when the study began in the 1990s, reported their dietary habits, including cheese intake, at the outset. Scientists then compared these records to later dementia diagnoses among the group. Over the follow-up period, about one in 10 participants developed dementia.

High-fat cheese was defined as products with at least 20 percent fat content, including soft varieties like brie and camembert, hard types such as cheddar, semisoft options like Gouda and Gruyère, and blue cheeses including Stilton. Those consuming around 50 grams—roughly two standard slices—daily showed the protective...