Printer Friendly Format Share


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 229-11
June 26, 2011

MAYOR BLOOMBERG DISCUSSES HOW THE CITY IS HELPING NEW YORKERS LIVE HEALTHIER, LONGER LIVES IN WEEKLY RADIO ADDRESS

The following is the text of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s weekly radio address as prepared for delivery on 1010 WINS News Radio for Sunday, June 26, 2011

“Good Morning. This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

“Here’s a dose of great news that we can all enjoy: New Yorkers are healthier than ever. This uplifting diagnosis comes from a report released last week that the City’s Health Department compiled to measure the progress we’re making towards our health goals for 2012 – an effort that we call ‘Take Care New York.’

“To give you an idea of our gains: 66 percent of New Yorkers over the age of 50 have gotten screened for colon cancer – up from 62 percent in 2007, with African American and Hispanic New Yorkers accounting for large increases.

“The good news doesn’t end there. Everyone should know their HIV status, and thankfully, more and more do. More New Yorkers are getting tested for HIV, and fewer are getting infected. And because of our efforts to link people with HIV to consistent, high-quality care as early as possible, we’ve seen a 19 percent drop in the number of HIV deaths since 2007.

“Smoking is another area where we’ve made huge progress. Due in part to our innovative anti-smoking policies, just 15.8 percent of New Yorkers are now smokers. That’s a 27 percent decrease since 2002 and translates into 341,000 fewer smokers – and it’s meant that the number of deaths attributable to smoking continues to decline as well.

“There are a number of factors behind the gains we’ve made – and certainly the biggest is that more and more New Yorkers are taking charge of their own health. For instance, the number of New Yorkers who don’t exercise dropped 6.5 percent between 2007 and 2009, and the number of adults who consume at least one sugary drink a day fell 12 percent over that same period.

“Doctors are raising their level of preventive care as well, by computerizing patients’ records. In fact, some 2,400 health care providers now use the City’s electronic health records that focus on prevention, and that’s helping them improve the quality and timeliness of care.

“The City’s innovative healthy eating programs and policies have made a big impact too. Because of our efforts to phase out trans fats and increase the availability of fresh produce in all neighborhoods, New Yorkers have more options to eat healthier. And working with the food industry and the nation’s biggest producers, we’ve set targets for reducing sodium in prepared foods – which could save tens of thousands of lives.

“Overall, New York City is healthier than ever. And as further proof, consider this: the city’s average life expectancy is at an all-time high of 79.4 years – higher than the national average of 78. And if you want to learn about more preventive steps to improve your health, visit the Department of Health’s website at nyc.gov, or call 311 and ask about ‘Take Care New York.’

“This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Thanks for listening.”







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser   (212) 788-2958



STAY CONNECTED

TwitterTwitter   TwitterYouTube   FlickrFlickr
More Resources