Cheese eaten at least weekly was linked with a lower dementia risk in a study of nearly 8,000 older adults.
Tracking 7,914 people aged 65 or over for three years, the study found a dementia rate of 3.4 per cent among weekly cheese eaters, compared with 4.5 per cent in those who avoided cheese.
That equals about 10 to 11 fewer cases per 1,000 people, suggesting a modest effect at population level.
Researchers at Niimi University in Japan analysed participants split into two groups: about half ate cheese at least once a week, while the rest did not.
The study, commissioned by Japanese food company Meiji Co., adjusted for age, sex, education and income.
Seungwon Jeong, a geriatrics researcher at Niimi University, and colleagues, said: “These findings are consistent with prior observational evidence linking dairy intake to cognitive health.
“Although the effect for each person is modest, at a population scale, especially in countries with low cheese intake, such differences could contribute meaningfully to dementia prevention strategies.”
The association held, though weaker, even after accounting for overall diet quality.
People who avoided cheese tended to have less healthy diets, but the link persisted, suggesting cheese itself might confer specific benefits.
Cheese contains nutrients that may support brain health, including vitamin K, which is involved in processes that help maintain cognitive function.
It is also rich in beneficial bacteria that support gut health, and previous research has linked the gut microbiome to brain function.
Fermented dairy products like cheese have been shown to benefit cardiovascular health, which is closely tied to dementia risk because poor heart health can limit blood flow to the brain.
The researchers noted: “Although the present study did not include biomarker or mechanistic assessments, several nutritional characteristics of cheese may provide a plausible explanation for the observed association.”
Biomarkers are measurable biological signals, and mechanistic assessments explore how an effect works.
The findings add to evidence that lifestyle factors, including exercise, diet, social engagement and cognitive activities, may influence dementia risk.
While the study shows association rather than causation, it indicates that dietary choices could play a role in brain health.
Dementia affects at least 50 million people worldwide, a number expected to rise as populations age.
The United Nations has declared it a public health priority, particularly in countries such as Japan where demographic shifts are creating an increasingly elderly population.
The researchers emphasised that the statistics are not strong enough to guarantee cheese will prevent dementia, but the indications suggest it could form part of a brain-healthy diet.
The researchers concluded: “Further research is warranted to clarify dose-response relationships, cheese subtypes, and underlying mechanisms.”
The study controlled for multiple variables but could not eliminate all confounding.
People who regularly eat cheese may have other lifestyle characteristics that protect against dementia, though the team attempted to account for known influences.
Japan has traditionally low cheese consumption compared with Western countries, making it an informative population for studying potential health impacts of dairy products.
The findings may be especially relevant where cheese intake is minimal but dementia rates are rising.
