America’s 10 Brainiest States – MSN Health & Fitness – Nutrition
If you sometimes find it difficult to concentrate or experience the occasional “senior moment,” don’t be too hard on yourself. It might just be the state you live in.To raise awareness about the state of the nation’s “brain health” and to encourage people to take action toward improving their own brain function, researchers released an index that purports to rank the “brain smarts” of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Diet represented 36 percent of each state’s score. Of several factors used to calculate the brain-healthfulness of the foods each state eats, sales of fish and DHA-fortified foods were weighed most heavily; they made up 10 percent and 12 percent, respectively, of the diet score. Measures of the population’s physical health accounted for 25 percent of each state’s overall score; mental health accounted for 24 percent; and social well-being 15 percent. In all, 21 measures went into calculating each score. The creators of the index examined existing data on these metrics for all the states and the District of Columbia. The data came from agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Brain health is important….I mean, really important. So I am comforted by the fact that Colorado ranks 6th in the nation for brain health. It’s always nice to know that you live in an environment that promotes health so adamantly. Colorado routinely ranks high in most health studies, and the Colorado Springs real estate area has been recognized by many organizations for its healthy, active residents.
There are many factors that contribute to brain health, including diet, exercise, mental health, and to some extent genes. While there’s not much we can do about our genetic make-up, Colorado Springs residents can certainly address the first three. And with our beautiful mountains, ample park land, endless supply of community activities, and competitive job market, we certainly have the potential to be the number 1 city in Colorado for brain health!
