Summary:
Diet is considered a modifiable risk factor for dementia, but previous research on dairy intake specifically has produced inconsistent findings. This prospective cohort study investigated whether different types of dairy products are associated with the long-term risk of developing dementia and also whether high-fat and low-fat dairy products were differently associated with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. The study followed 27,670 adults for a median of 25 years, who completed detailed dietary assessments at the start of the study. Dementia diagnoses were identified using national health records. During the follow-up period, 3,208 participants developed dementia. This study found that consuming at least 50g of high-fat cheese per day was associated with a 13% lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 29% lower risk of vascular dementia compared with consuming less than 15g per day. Consuming at least 20g of high-fat cream per day was also associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause dementia and was linked to a lower risk of both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk, fermented milk (such as yoghurt) and butter were not associated with dementia risk. The study also found that the association between high-fat cheese intake and Alzheimer’s disease differed according to genetic status, with a protective association observed only in people who did not carry certain genes. Overall, this study suggests that higher consumption of high-fat cheese and high-fat cream may be associated with a lower risk of dementia, whereas other dairy products do not appear to influence risk. However, because this was an observational study, it cannot determine whether these foods directly reduce the risk of dementia, and further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Read the Complete Article >
Abstract:
Background and Objectives: The association between dairy intake and dementia risk remains uncertain, especially for dairy products with varying fat contents. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between high-fat and low-fat dairy intake and dementia risk. Methods: This study used data from a prospective cohort in Sweden, the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort, which consisted of community-based participants who underwent dietary assessment at baseline (1991–1996). Dietary intake was evaluated using a comprehensive diet history method that combined a 7-day food diary, a food frequency questionnaire, and a dietary interview. Dementia cases were identified through the Swedish National Patient Register until December 31, 2020, and cases diagnosed until 2014 were further validated. The primary outcome of the study was all-cause dementia, and the secondary outcomes were Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI. Results: This study included 27,670 participants (mean baseline age 58.1 years, SD 7.6; 61% female). During a median of 25 years of follow-up, 3,208 incident dementia cases were recorded. Consumption of ≥50 g/d of high-fat cheese (>20% fat) was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause dementia (HR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78–0.97) and VaD (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52–0.96) compared with lower intake (<15 g/d). An inverse association between high-fat cheese and AD was found among APOE ε4 noncarriers (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–0.99, p-interaction = 0.014). Compared with no consumption, individuals consuming ≥20 g/d of high-fat cream (>30% fat) had a 16% lower risk of all-cause dementia (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72–0.98). High-fat cream consumption was inversely associated with the risk of AD and VaD. Consumption of low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk (high-fat and low-fat), fermented milk (high-fat and low-fat), and butter showed no association with all-cause dementia. Discussion: Higher intake of high-fat cheese and high-fat cream was associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia, whereas low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, and other dairy products showed no significant association. APOE ε4 status modified the association between high-fat cheese and AD. Our study’s observational design limits causal inference.
Article Publication Date: 17/12/2025
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000214343
