While we don’t have a definitive treatment for dementia yet, there’s a growing understanding of various factors that may impact the risk of developing it. These include things like exercise, diet, alcohol consumption, social networks, and even music preferences. Now, it seems we can also think about cheese in this equation.
In a study carried out by Meiji Co., a Japanese food firm, researchers analyzed data from 7,914 individuals aged 65 and older. Half of these participants reported consuming cheese at least weekly, while the other half did not eat cheese at all.
Over three years, the health outcomes for these groups were monitored. Among those who ate cheese, 134 individuals developed dementia, which is about 3.4 percent of that group. In contrast, 176 participants from the non-cheese group developed dementia, representing 4.5 percent. So, there’s roughly a 10 to 11 case difference per 1,000 people.
Though the difference isn’t massive and reflects an association rather than a direct cause-and-effect relationship, it does add to our existing understanding of how diet impacts dementia and connects eating habits to both physical and mental health.
“These findings align with earlier observational studies that link dairy consumption to cognitive well-being,” wrote Seungwon Jeong, a geriatrics researcher at Niimi University in Japan, together with his colleagues.
“Even though the impact for individuals might be slight, on a larger scale—particularly in countries like Japan with lower cheese consumption—these findings could play a meaningful role in dementia prevention strategies.”
The researchers considered various factors that could also impact dementia risk, such as age, gender, education, and income.
In a follow-up analysis, they looked at healthy eating habits: It turned out that those who didn’t consume cheese generally had less healthy diets, which might explain some of the connections. The association was weaker in this analysis but still significant.
Essentially, it seems there’s something unique about cheese that could help in preventing dementia, aside from the good effects recognizable in a nutritious diet. The researchers didn’t investigate this aspect in depth, but existing studies give hints about potential mechanisms.
Cheese is packed with nutrients beneficial for brain health like vitamin K, and it’s also a great source of beneficial gut bacteria. Numerous studies have indicated a link between gut health and dementia.
Moreover, there’s notable evidence suggesting that fermented dairy products like cheese are advantageous for heart health. Since heart health has long been regarded as an important factor in dementia risk, it’s likely that multiple elements come into play.
“Although this study didn’t include assessments of biomarkers or mechanisms, several nutritional aspects of cheese might offer reasonable explanations for the observed links,” the researchers noted.
Dementia has been recognized as a critical public health issue by the United Nations, affecting an estimated 50 million people globally, a number expected to rise as populations age, especially in countries like Japan where this study took place.
The findings, while not conclusive enough to promise that regular cheese consumption will completely prevent dementia, definitely suggest a potential benefit. The researchers are enthusiastic about future studies to delve deeper.
“More research is necessary to clarify the relationships regarding dose-response, the types of cheese, and the mechanisms involved,” the researchers concluded.
The findings were published in Nutrients.
