January 12, 2026, 9:42 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Cheese is a staple for many, but opinions differ regarding its fat content. A study examined the effects of dairy consumption and found possible links between dietary habits and mental health development.
What was studied? A large Swedish observational study followed more than 27,000 adults aged 45 to 73 for about 25 years. The goal was to determine whether consuming dairy products with varying fat content affects the long-term risk of dementia.1 Participants documented their diets in detail, supplemented by interviews. The results were compared with official diagnoses from health registers.
How diet affects our health is also a topic in my book, “Highway to Health – In 7 Steps to a Healthy Long Life,” which will be published on January 4, 2027.
High-Fat Cheese and Cream Seem Beneficial, Butter May Increase Alzheimer’s Risk
Results: Those who consumed at least 50 grams of high-fat cheese with 20 percent fat daily had a 13 percent lower risk of developing dementia. For vascular dementia—a form caused by blood flow issues in the brain—the risk was even 29 percent lower. Daily consumption of at least 20 grams of high-fat cream (with more than 30 percent fat) was associated with a 16 percent lower dementia risk.
Low-fat variants, as well as milk (whether high-fat or low-fat) or yogurt, showed no correlation. High butter consumption (from 40 grams daily) was statistically linked to an increased Alzheimer’s risk. However, the authors emphasize that this finding could strongly depend on the overall dietary profile and should be interpreted cautiously. Among people without a known genetic predisposition in the form of the APOE4 risk gene, the Alzheimer’s risk from high-fat cheese was also slightly reduced.
Significance: The results suggest that high-fat cheese and cream might be associated with a lower long-term risk of dementia. The statistical correlation was less clear among those who barely changed their dietary habits over the years. As this is an observational study, further research is needed to clarify the causes. It should also be noted that high consumption of saturated fats, such as those found in cheese, can increase LDL cholesterol, although the study emphasizes that cheese often fares better than butter.
An earlier version of the article stated that high butter consumption was linked to an increased Alzheimer’s risk. The passage was clarified to better indicate that the study authors explicitly see this connection as dependent on the overall dietary profile and interpret it cautiously.
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