A team of scientists at a South Korean research center explored how regular cheese consumption might influence cognitive performance in older adults. The emerging pattern suggests that among elderly Japanese men and women who include cheese in their daily meals, memory and attentional skills show notable staying power. They were also more accurately oriented in space and time. This is the overall takeaway from the report on the topic.
In the study, 1,516 Japanese adults aged 65 and older participated. Researchers first assessed each person’s dietary habits to identify those who ate the most cheese. Cognitive function was then measured using a widely employed 30 point assessment that covers attention, memory, visuospatial abilities, language, and writing. A score below 23 out of 30 was interpreted as a potential sign of cognitive decline associated with aging and, in some readings, related to early stages of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Findings indicated that participants who added cheese to their diet were less likely to score under 23. The researchers also observed that cheese enthusiasts tended to maintain a diet that was more consistent and varied, which may reflect broader dietary patterns linked to cognitive health. These results add to a growing body of work examining how dairy products fit into balanced nutrition for aging populations, though they are not a stand-alone prescription and should be interpreted within the context of overall lifestyle and health status. [citation: nutrition study]
It is worth noting that prior discussions have linked dairy intake to various cardiovascular and metabolic health considerations, highlighting that dietary choices can intersect with multiple risk factors and health outcomes. [citation: nutrition study]