Overview
- The Malmö Diet and Cancer study followed 27,670 adults for about 25 years, during which 3,208 were diagnosed with dementia.
- Participants consuming at least 50 g per day of high-fat cheese had a 13% lower risk of all-cause dementia (HR 0.87), and those consuming at least 20 g per day of high-fat cream had a 16% lower risk (HR 0.84).
- Inverse associations were strongest for vascular dementia, and the link with Alzheimer’s disease appeared only among people without the APOE ε4 allele.
- Low-fat dairy showed no significant associations with all-cause dementia, while high butter intake (≥40 g/day) was linked to higher Alzheimer’s risk in subtype analyses.
- Sensitivity checks excluding early cases supported the findings, but researchers note potential confounding and substitution effects, including healthier baseline profiles and dietary trade-offs with red or processed meat.