Massachusetts is wicked smaht. So brainy are we that the nationwide publication The Business Journals ranked Boston as the fourth overall in their brainpower rankings. But a powerful brain doesn’t necessarily equate to a healthy brain. According to America’s Brain Health Index, Massachusetts ranks 16th out of 50 states and Washington D.C. when it comes to the well-being of our cerebrums.
The index is a product of Beautiful Minds, a health and wellness campaign put on in tandem by life’sDHA™ and The National Center for Creative Aging.
The brains behind Beautiful Minds compiled their data based on 21 different factors, which include “diet, physical health, mental health and social well-being,” according to the site. “For each brain health indicator, data for all 51 geographies was compared to the national average, which was set at 100. Data points that were better than the national average indexed higher than 100.”
Beautiful Minds used the Center for Disease Control, Alzheimer’s Association, and Bureau of Labor statistics, amongst others, as their primary sources of data.
In three of the four mentioned categories, Boston scored higher than 100 meaning it’s better than the national average in terms of diet, 114; physical health, 108; and mental health, 101. For social health, though, we fell a bit short, indexing just 89.
As Bay Staters, the health of our brains are bolstered for three significant factors. According to Dr. Michael Roizen, medical advisor to Beautiful Minds and brain expert, much of it has to do with our DHA omega-3 intake. Fish is rich with the stuff, and Boston in particular is partial to a seafood heavy diet, being situated on a harbor and all. (I’d be cautious about heading over to the Daily Catch or Legal Harborside in South Boston, though. Turns out, there are sinkholes over there.)
“DHA omega-3 is a must-have to support lifelong brain health,” contends Dr. Roizen. The human brain is made up of more than 60 percent fat, the majority of which is good fat from DHA.”
Massachusetts also tallied a low incidence of cardiovascular disease, surely do in part to our commitment to physical fitness. The Hub has dedicated much-needed time and resources into making the city more bike-friendly.
A decrease in smoking has also proved beneficial to our brains. Not only has the City of Boston done it’s part by banning the inhalation or usage of any smoking device on city-run property and parks, but pharmaceutical giant and New England staple CVS pledged to cease the sale of all tobacco products by October 2014.
Where we fall short, though is in our consumption of DHA-heavy foods not of the seafood variety, a high incidence of serious psychological distress (much of which can be attributed to the MBTA), and a low level of religious or spiritual activities.
The states ranking in the top ten healthiest brains overall are: Maryland, Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Alaska, Washington D.C., Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Georgia.
Maine and Rhode Island, our two fellow New England brethren who failed to crack the top ten, came in at 19 and 27 respectively.
Maybe it’s because all of their DHA seafood items are beer-battered and fried.
