25-Year Swedish Study Links Full-Fat Cheese to Lower Dementia Risk

# 25-Year Swedish Study Links Full-Fat Cheese to Lower Dementia Risk A landmark 25-year study tracking nearly 28,000 Swedish adults has found that higher consumption of full-fat cheese and cream is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. The findings, published in *Neurology*, challenge decades of low-fat dietary guidance, though researchers caution the results should be interpreted carefully. --- ## Study Overview The research, led by scientists at Lund University in Sweden, followed 27,670 participants from the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort over a median of 25 years. During the study period, 3,208 participants were diagnosed with dementia, [according to ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260203030540.htm). **Key findings:** | Dairy Product | Intake Level | Association | |---------------|--------------|-------------| | Full-fat cheese (>20% fat) | 50+ grams per day | 13-17% lower Alzheimer's risk* | | Full-fat cream (30-40% fat) | 20+ grams per day | 16-24% lower dementia risk | | Butter | 40+ grams per day | 27% higher Alzheimer's risk | *Among individuals without the APOE ε4 genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease The protective association for cheese was not observed in participants who carried genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's. No meaningful links were found for low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, or milk products of any fat content, [as reported in the study published in Neurology](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214343). --- ## Why This Challenges Current Guidance These findings stand out because public health guidance has long encouraged people to choose low-fat dairy to protect heart health. This connection matters because cardiovascular disease and dementia share many underlying risk factors, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Prof. Eef Hogervorst, Director of Dementia Research at Loughborough University, noted the significance in [comments to ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260203030540.htm): "This is of interest considering long-standing public health advice to switch to low-fat dairy for heart health. Where this advice has been questioned for heart disease, more recent studies suggest this may also pertain to brain health." The data suggest that full-fat dairy does not necessarily lead to dementia, and that fermented milk products do not necessarily protect against it. Full-fat cheese contains several nutrients relevant to brain health, including fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2, as well as vitamin B12, folate, iodine, zinc, and selenium. --- ## Expert Reactions While the findings are intriguing, experts urge caution in interpreting the results. The [Science Media Centre](https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-study-looking-at-the-association-between-eating-high-fat-cheese-and-cream-and-dementia-risk/) gathered reactions from leading researchers: **Prof. Naveed Sattar, University of Glasgow:** "I do not believe there is a causal link here, as this is an observational study rather than a randomized controlled trial. Individuals who consumed more high-fat cheese and cream were, on average, better educated. This raises the possibility of residual confounding, whereby other 'healthy' characteristics associated with higher education, rather than the cheese or cream itself, may explain the lower dementia rates observed." **Prof. Tara Spires-Jones, University of Edinburgh:** "While these are interesting data, this type of study cannot determine whether this association of reduced dementia risk was caused by the differences in cheese consumption. One of the biggest limitations is that cheese consumption was recorded from a food diary and interview at one time point 25 years before the analysis." **Dr. Richard Oakley, Alzheimer's Society:** "This research does not show that eating more high-fat dairy products can reduce our risk of developing dementia. Evidence shows that quitting smoking, keeping physically active, eating a healthy balanced diet, managing long-term health conditions, and drinking less alcohol play a far greater role in reducing dementia risk than focusing on a single food." --- ## What This Means for Dairy Farmers For the dairy industry, this study adds to a growing body of research questioning the decades-old push toward low-fat dairy products. The findings align with broader market trends showing renewed consumer interest in full-fat dairy options. As the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines increased recommended protein intake, dairy products, including cheese, have seen growing demand as convenient protein sources. This research may provide additional support for marketing full-fat cheese products, though manufacturers should be careful not to overstate health claims. --- ## Key Takeaways The Swedish study offers several important insights: 1. **Full-fat dairy is not harmful to brain health.** The data do not support the idea that full-fat dairy causes dementia. 2. **Context matters.** People who ate more full-fat cheese were also more educated, less likely to be overweight, and had lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. 3. **Diet patterns matter more than single foods.** The Mediterranean diet, which includes cheese alongside vegetables, fish, whole grains, and fruit, is consistently associated with lower risks of both dementia and heart disease. 4. **This is not a license to overindulge.** Researchers emphasize this is not a "green light" to dramatically increase cheese or cream intake. --- ## Study Details **Title:** High- and Low-Fat Dairy Consumption and Long-Term Risk of Dementia **Authors:** Yufeng Du, Yan Borné, Jessica Samuelsson, Isabelle Glans, Xiaobin Hu, Katarina Nägga, Sebastian Palmqvist, Oskar Hansson, Emily Sonestedt **Published:** *Neurology*, Volume 106, Issue 2 (January 27, 2026) **Funding:** Swedish Research Council, Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, Crafoord Foundation, Magnus Bergvall Foundation, Albert Påhlsson Foundation **Read more:** [Neurology Journal](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214343) | [ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260203030540.htm) | [Lund University](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/full-fat-cheese-linked-lower-risk-dementia)