Little research has been done to understand how nutrients or foods, especially dairy foods, affect cognitive functions such as learning and memory. The results of this novel cross-sectional study indicated an association between improved scores on several cognitive tests and higher intakes of total dairy or cheese in both younger and older adults. However, no associations were observed with fluid milk consumption.
The study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1988-1994 and 1999-2002) in younger (20 to 59 years) and older (60-plus years) adults to evaluate potential relationships between intake of total dairy products, milk and cheese and several measures of cognitive function that were specific to each age group.
The authors say their results warrant further study. This research is part of ongoing efforts by the Dairy Research Institute ® to expand scientific understanding of the benefits of dairy foods.
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