Eating lots of full-fat dairy—whether it’s cheese, butter, or ice cream—seems to be linked to a higher risk of dying, no matter which one you pick, so it’s probably the fat itself that’s the problem, not the food it’s in.

Eating lots of full-fat dairy like cheese, butter, or cream seems to be linked to a higher chance of dying early, no matter which kind you choose—so it’s probably not the dairy itself, but something common in all of them, like saturated fat or hormones, that’s causing the problem.

Women who eat a lot of full-fat dairy like whole milk, cheese, and ice cream after being diagnosed with breast cancer may have a higher chance of dying sooner — and it seems to be because of the fat in these foods, not because one specific food is extra harmful.

People who drink whole milk regularly may be a bit more likely to die from any cause, heart disease, or cancer than those who drink skim or low-fat milk — but this doesn’t mean milk is the direct cause.

Eating a lot of full-fat dairy like cheese and butter might be linked to a higher chance of dying from cancers other than breast cancer — and it could be because it harms your heart or metabolism, not just because it feeds cancer.

For women who’ve had breast cancer, eating a lot of full-fat dairy like whole milk, cheese, or butter might raise their risk of dying from other health problems like heart disease or diabetes—not from the cancer coming back.