Brie, cheddar, and other high-fat cheeses linked to lower dementia risk

This was found in ancient human feces. The US government stored 6.4 metric tons of the substance. in the mountains. And a big part of it played starring role in the president's farewell party. We're talking about cheese.

Although too much of the popular dairy product can cause tummy problems and tall cholesterol for some, new research suggests there's more fat cheese and cream may be associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. Although the results published today in Neurology®medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, does not show that it reduces the overall risk of disease, it shows an association.

The high fat debate

Fat cheeses include cheddar, brie and gouda and contain more than 20 percent fat. High-fat cream, such as whipping cream, double cream and clotted cream, typically contains 30 to 40 percent fat. In grocery stores, these products are usually labeled as “low-fat” or “regular.”

“For decades, the debate over high-fat versus low-fat diets has shaped health recommendations, sometimes even relegating cheese to the category of unhealthy food that should be limited,” he said. Emily Sonestedt, Ph.D.co-author of the study and a nutrition epidemiologist from Lund University in Sweden, says the statement. “Our study found that some high-fat dairy products may actually reduce the risk of dementia, challenging some long-held assumptions about fat and brain health.”

In this new researchThe team analyzed data from 27,670 people in Sweden with an average age of 58 at the start of the study. Participants were followed for an average of 25 years. During the study, 3,208 people developed dementia.

For one week, participants tracked what they ate and answered questions about how often they ate certain foods. They also talked to the researchers about how they prepared the food.

The researchers then compared people who ate 50 grams (about 1.7 ounces) or more of high-fat cheese every day with people who ate less than 15 grams (about half an ounce) per day. Fifty grams of cheese is about two slices Cheddar one and a half glasses of grated cheese, this is approximately 15 grams. A serving of cheese is typically one ounce or 28 grams.

Of those who ate more high-fat cheese, 10 percent developed dementia by the end of the study. Of those who ate less, 13 percent developed dementia.

Risk factors

After adjusting for age, gender, education and overall diet quality, the team found that people who ate more fatty cheese had 13 percent lower risk development of dementia compared to those who ate less.

There are more than 100 forms of dementia, but four main types These include Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. Looking at specific types of dementia, the team found that people who ate more high-fat cheese had a 29 percent lower risk of developing vascular dementia.

There was also a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease among those who ate more fatty cheese. However, this risk was lower only for those who did not have APOE e4 gene variant– a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Additionally, the team compared people who consumed 20 grams (about 0.7 ounces) or more of heavy cream per day with people who did not consume it. For example, 20 grams of heavy cream is approximately 1.4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, and the recommended serving is approximately 1-2 tablespoons. After similar adjustments, the researchers found that those who consumed heavy cream daily experienced 16 percent lower risk of dementiacompared to those who did not use anything.

They found no association between dementia risk and consumption of low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, high-fat or low-fat milk, butter or fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir and buttermilk).

“When it comes to brain health, not all dairy is created equal.”

One important limitation of this study is that all participants were from Sweden, so results may differ for other populations. Sonestedt notes that in Sweden cheese is often eaten raw, whereas in the US it is often heated or eaten with meat. Sweden also has universal health coverage.which is not available in the USA. Universal coverage usually results in better health results. Even though they spend significantly more money than similar countries, Americans are living shorter lives and face more barriers to accessing basic health care.therefore, socioeconomic factors, exposure to pollution, and other lifestyle factors may distort nutrition studies like this one.

“These results show that when it comes to brain health, not all dairy products are created equal,” Sonestedt said. “Although consuming more high-fat cheese and cream was associated with a reduced risk of dementia, other dairy products and low-fat alternatives did not show the same effect. More research is needed to confirm the results of our study and further examine whether consuming certain high-fat dairy products actually provides some level of brain protection.”