Weekly Cheese โConsumption โคLinked to lower Dementia Risk, New Study Finds
Tokyo, Japan – A new study โคpublished in the โjournal Nutrients suggests that regularly eating cheese might potentially be associated with โa reduced risk of developing dementia. Researchers followed over 8,000 individuals aged 65 and older for three years and found those who โคconsumed cheese at least weekly experienced a substantially lower incidence of dementia compared to those who rarely ate it.
The Japanese researchโ team observed that approximately โข3.4% of participants who regularly ate cheese developed โdementiaโ over the study period,โ compared toโ 4.5% in the group who rarely consumed it – โคaโค roughly 24% reduction in risk after accounting for factors like age, โฃlifestyle, and health status. While the study doesn’t prove a direct causal link, the findings align with โexistingโ research indicating a potential benefit of fermented dairy โproducts on cognitive health.
The study participants’ cheese consumption varied, with 80% favoring processed cheese, 8% opting forโ soft cheeses like Camembert and โฃBrie,โข and theโค remainder consuming other varieties. Researchers emphasizeโข the need for further examination to determine if โspecific cheese types offer greater protective benefits and to understand the underlying mechanisms at play.
These findings reinforce current dietary recommendations, which suggest adults consume around โฃtwo dairy โขproducts daily, including โคone serving of cheese. According to french guidelines, a single serving equates to 30 grams – roughly oneโฃ to two thin slices of Camembert, Comtรฉ, or โคgoat cheese.The World Health Association (WHO) projects the number of peopleโ with dementia will triple by 2050, highlighting the โฃimportanceโข of identifying modifiable โrisk factors through research like this. โฃ
“These resultsโข are consistent with previous epidemiological data suggesting โฃa โคpotential protective association between fermented dairy products and cognitiveโ outcomes,” the studyโฃ authors noted.