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Daily Dose of fatty Cheese Linked to Lower Dementia Risk, Swedish Study Finds
A daily intake of at least 50 grams of fatty cheese – roughly two slices of cheddar or half a cup of grated cheese – was associated with a 13% reduction in the risk of developing dementia, according to new research published in the journal Neurology. the findings challenge conventional wisdom about dietary fat and brain health, suggesting that certain high-fat dairy products may offer protective benefits.
Recent research conducted in Sweden, involving over 27,000 adults, offers renewed perspectives on the role of dairy products in preventing neurodegenerative diseases. The study opens a debate on whether foods previously considered unhealthy could have a different impact on brain health than previously understood.
The long-term study, spearheaded by researchers at Lund University, followed 27,670 individuals for an average of 25 years. Participants, beginning at an average age of 58, meticulously recorded thier weekly diets and provided detailed information about their consumption of various dairy products. The investigation specifically focused on the intake of fatty cheese and high-fat cream, staples of the customary Swedish diet.
Over the course of the study, 3,208 participants received a diagnosis of some form of dementia. Analysis of the collected data revealed significant differences between groups based on their dairy consumption. Individuals who consumed at least 50 grams of fatty cheese daily exhibited a 13% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who consumed less than 15 grams daily. Similarly, those who included 20 grams or more of high-fat cream – approximately 1.4 tablespoons – in their daily diet showed a 16% decrease in risk, when compared to those who did not consume the cream.
The cheeses studied included varieties like cheddar, Brie, and Gouda, all characterized by a fat content exceeding 20%. The creams analyzed contained between 30 and 40% fat. “Our study showed that certain high-fat dairy products may actually be associated with a lower likelihood of dementia, challenging several previous ideas about fat and brain health,” stated Emily Sonestedt, the study’s lead author.
interestingly, the analysis did not reveal any protective link between other dairy products, such as low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, whole or skim milk, butter, or fermented products like yogurt or kefir.”These results suggest that, in terms of brain health, not all dairy products offer the same possible benefits,” Sonestedt explained.
The research also indicated a 29% lower risk of vascular dementia among those with higher fatty cheese consumption. For Alzheimer’s disease, a positive correlation was observed only in individuals who did not carry the APOE e4 gene, a known genetic risk factor for the condition.
Despite these encouraging findings,Sonestedt emphasized that the study demonstrates an association,not a direct causal relationship. dietary data was collected at the study’s outset and not updated periodically, and the entire participant pool was drawn from Sweden, potentially limiting the generalizability of the results
