Life expectancy in New York City has hit an all-time high of 80.9 years, surpassing the national average by 2.2 years, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today.
Between 2001 and 2010, the life span of a child born in NYC increased by three years. During the same period, the nation’s life expectancy only went up by about 1.8 years.
Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said that health interventions, such as smoking prevention programs, expanded HIV testing and treatment, and improved cared for those with high blood pressure and cholesterol, are contributing to greater life expectancy.
“Not only are New Yorkers living longer, but our improvements continue to outpace the gains in the rest of the nation,” said Bloomberg. “Our willingness to invest in health care and bold interventions is paying off in improved health outcomes, decreased infant mortality and increased life expectancy.”
The death rate from HIV is decreasing by a faster rate than other mortality causes in New York City, down from 53 percent from 2001 to 2010.
The infant mortality rate and death rates for heart disease and cancer also experienced significant declines.
In 2011, the infant mortality rate reached an all-time low of 4.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, a 23 percent drop since 2011 and almost double the national average improvement during the same period.
From 2001 t0 2010, heart disease deaths dropped by 27.1 percent and cancer rates decreased by 6.5 percent.
In addition to improved care for people with high blood pressure and cholesterol, and heart problems, those declines can be attributed to the 30 percent decrease in the city’s smokers since 2002 when the Smoke-Free Air Act went into effect.
