A study from Japan comes to a surprising conclusion: regular consumption of cheese could reduce the risk of dementia. But researchers warn against hasty conclusions.
Fulda – A balanced Mediterranean diet consisting of lots of vegetables, whole grain products and healthy fats is considered essential by scientists when it comes to dementia prevention. Plus plenty of exercise, good social contacts and activities that keep your mind fit.
But while numerous expert tips focus in particular on the positive effects of plant substances – such as polyphenols, which are found in berries but also in green tea – a Japanese study is causing a stir that raises the question of whether regular consumption of cheese could reduce the risk of dementia.
Can cheese consumption really protect against dementia?
As the DGP (DeutschesGesundheitsPortal) reports, scientists examined data from almost 8,000 older Japanese people and linked them to surveys for long-term care insurance. The study included people aged 65 and over with no previous long-term care. Participants were divided into two groups based on their cheese consumption: never (less often than once a week) or occasionally (at least once a week). The study recorded the occurrence of dementia over three years.
The cheese-eating group reported consuming cheese once or twice a week (72.1 percent). A smaller portion of the group reported eating cheese three to four times a week or more than five times. The Japanese surveyed mentioned processed cheese particularly frequently (82.7 percent), for example processed cheese, followed by white mold cheese (7.8 percent) and other varieties. According to the study, over the course of three years, 134 people in the cheese group (3.4 percent) and 176 in the “never cheese group” (4.5 percent) developed dementia.
According to the DGP, the absolute risk difference was 1.06 percentage points. Occasional cheese consumption was associated with a 24 percent reduced risk of dementia. According to the study authors, the results fit with the overall picture of previous observations that dairy products provide cognitive health benefits. However, the authors emphasize that the study only provides evidence and there is no evidence of a causal relationship between cheese consumption and a reduced risk of dementia. Other factors, such as a healthier lifestyle of cheese eaters, could also have influenced the result.
Another study from Sweden comes to the conclusion that high-fat cheese in particular could have a preventative effect. That reports t-online.de. Accordingly, one or two slices of cheese every day could be good for brain health. For the study, scientists followed around 27,000 adults over 25 years.
At the start of the study, participants were on average 58 years old. They kept detailed food diaries, answered questionnaires and took part in interviews about their eating habits. Over the next 25 years, 3,208 people developed some form of dementia. What was striking was that the participants who consumed more than 50 grams of high-fat cheese per day – for example two slices of Cheddar or Gouda – had a 13 percent lower risk of developing dementia. According to the study, the risk of vascular dementia, which is caused by circulatory disorders in the brain, was 29 percent lower.
Study from Sweden also provides evidence of the protective effects of cheese
The researchers found another connection with cream: people who consumed around one to two tablespoons daily had a 16 percent lower risk of dementia. Low-fat dairy products, however, seemed to have no effect. However, experts advise caution in this case too, as the study only shows a statistical connection, not a direct cause-effect relationship.
Especially in view of the fact that diet was only recorded at the beginning of the study and it is very likely that eating behavior has changed over time. “Other lifestyle factors such as exercise, alcohol consumption or smoking were also not consistently observed,” it continues t-online.de.
The effect of high-quality fats, such as those found in nuts, various vegetable oils and fish, appears to be undisputedly positive.
