COLUMBIA, Md.—Beautiful Minds: Finding Your Lifelong Potential, a national health education campaign, reported the top two brain-healthy geographies in the United States are Maryland (number one) and the District of Columbia (number two) in its 2011 America's Brain Health Index, a state-by-state ranking of brain health that delivers data on how well Americans are incorporating the four dimensions of brain health—diet and nutrition, physical health, mental health and social well-being—into their daily lives. Index comparative data also shows that Maryland has overtaken Washington for the Number one spot since 2009.
life'sDHA™ and the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) partnered for the second year to bring the campaign to Americans who want to join the brain-healthy community, find out where their state ranks in the America's Brain Health Index, meet this year's Beautiful Minds, and learn about simple steps that they can take to improve brain health. The campaign’s website includes a variety of resources including a quiz in which they can test their brain health; tips for incorporating the four dimensions of brain health into everyday life; and many more elements to inspire people to take action in keeping their minds beautiful as they age.
Conducted in 2009 and 2011, the America's Brain Health Index evaluated the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia based on 21 factors, including diet and nutrition, physical health, mental health and social well-being. In addition to providing a ranking for each state, America's Brain Health Index also includes comparative data showing how each state has either progressed, held its own or lost ground in taking measures to improve brain health over the past two years.
The campaign also introduced this year's Beautiful Minds, 11 inspirational individuals from across the country who are fulfilling the four dimensions of brain health and achieving amazing things well into the second half of life. Adults aged 55 and older were invited to submit a nominating essay, and America was then invited to vote for its favorites online. The 11 individuals who were selected to be featured in a traveling photo essay exhibit included a 59-year old who founded an organization to teach work skills to West Africans, and a 91-year old who wrote and acted in a play at 86.
"As the country experiences an unprecedented increase in life expectancy to 78 years—an increase of 30 years over the past century—the knowledge that we can influence brain health and cognition throughout adult life is more important than ever," said Majid Fotuhi, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the Neurology Institute for Brain Health and Fitness, and assistant professor of neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "The largest aging population in history will experience the most longevity of any generation, which means taking action to improve our brain health should be a high priority on the health checklist for all of us."
