A major study that tracked thousands of adults in Sweden for over two decades has discovered a surprising link between the consumption of certain full-fat dairy foods and a reduced risk of dementia. The data suggest that individuals who regularly ate full-fat cheese and cream were less likely to develop dementia in the future, but only in certain groups.
The research tracked 27,670 middle-aged and older adults over 25 years. During that time, just over 3,200 participants were diagnosed with some form of dementia. When scientists analysed dietary habits, an unexpected pattern emerged. People who ate higher amounts of full-fat cheese appeared to have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, provided they did not carry a known genetic risk for the condition, according to a study published in Neurology Journal in December 2025.
Among this group, those eating more than about 50 grams of full-fat cheese a day had a 13 to 17 per cent lower risk of Alzheimer’s compared with those who ate less. The pattern did not hold for people with genetic risk factors, suggesting that diet alone may not be enough to offset inherited vulnerability.
A similar trend was seen with full-fat cream. Participants who consumed more than 20 grams per day showed a 16 to 24 per cent lower overall risk of dementia. However, the same effect was not seen with milk, whether low-fat or high-fat, or with fermented milk products like yoghurt. Low-fat cream also showed no clear link.
Why the findings matter, and why caution is needed
At first glance, the results seem to clash with decades of nutrition advice that recommends choosing low-fat dairy to protect the heart. This is important because heart health and brain health are closely connected. Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and obesity increase the risk of dementia.
Some previous research has already challenged the idea that full-fat dairy is harmful. Several studies suggest that cheese, in particular, is not linked to higher heart disease risk and may even be associated with lower rates in some populations. Whether those benefits extend to brain health has been less clear, with mixed results across countries.
One long-term Finnish study did find that cheese was linked to a 28 per cent lower dementia risk, but other European studies have found no clear benefit.
Importantly, the Swedish researchers took steps to reduce common sources of bias. They excluded anyone who already had dementia at the start and repeated their analysis after removing people who developed dementia within the first 10 years. This helped reduce the chance that early, undiagnosed cognitive decline had already changed people’s eating habits.
The researchers also noted that people who ate more full-fat cheese and cream tended to live healthier lives overall. They were often better educated, less likely to be overweight and had lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, all factors known to reduce dementia risk on their own.
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