Overview
- The Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort followed 27,670 adults (average starting age 58) for about 25 years, during which 3,208 developed dementia.
- Participants reporting at least 50 g per day of high-fat cheese had a 13% lower adjusted risk of dementia, and those consuming at least 20 g per day of high-fat cream had a 16% lower risk.
- The association was strongest for vascular dementia, with a 29% lower risk among higher cheese consumers, and a reduced Alzheimer’s risk was observed only in non‑APOE e4 carriers.
- No association was found for low-fat cheese or cream, high- or low-fat milk, butter, or fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir.
- Researchers and independent experts note key limitations including a single one-week baseline diet record, potential confounding such as education, Swedish consumption patterns, and the need for replication before changing guidance.