‘HealthyNYC’ aims to increase life expectancy to 83 Years by 2030 by focusing on reducing chronic disease, overdose, maternal mortality, and more
Alarmed by the lifespans of New Yorkers falling by two years to 80.7 years between 2019-2021, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan have unveiled “HealthyNYC,” an ambitious plan to reverse the trend.
The campaign sets ambitious targets to address the greatest drivers of premature death, including chronic and diet-related diseases, screenable cancers, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, violence, and COVID-19. Overall, the campaign aims to extend the average life expectancy of New Yorkers to 83 years by 2030, with gains across racial and ethnic groups, according to a press release in early November.
“It’s time we give New York City extra life with the launch of ‘HealthyNYC,’ our campaign to help New Yorkers lead healthier, longer lives,” said Mayor Adams. “Our administration is setting out to not only recover years lost during the pandemic but also surpass our previous high. By refocusing all of our public health work around the goal of helping people live longer lives, we’ll build a healthier, more prosperous city where everyone can thrive.”
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, elaborated, “We will tackle the underlying causes of lost years and lost lives, including combating the opioid crisis, reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, bringing diet-related chronic diseases into remission, and helping every New Yorker live their healthiest life. We do all this because our health is what allows us to live more and love more for ourselves and our families.”
‘HealthyNYC’ is a game changer because in the wake of COVID-19, and while facing parallel and growing health crises, we know that, as a city and a nation, people are getting sicker and dying sooner than they should, said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Losing years of life and of good health is a unifying challenge, and getting them back is a top priority for the City, as well as a north star for the future of public health. This announcement sets the coordinates for our collective mission to lead longer, healthier lives, and there is perhaps no more important measure of the health of our society and our democracy. The road we travel here in New York City will provide guideposts for our nation and its people, who should expect to live long and live well, for themselves and for generations to follow.”
Councilmember Lynn Schulman, chair of Health Committee, said she is introducing an accompanying legislation to require a five-year public health agenda for NYC to improve health outcomes and address health disparities.
“Our city has always ensured that New Yorkers have the information and tools they need to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, president and CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals. “‘HealthyNYC’ is a national model that once again demonstrates how the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is on the forefront of public health.”
The Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park said, “Each year, we connect millions of vulnerable New Yorkers to the critical benefits, services, and supports they need to remain safe, healthy, and housed. However, we know that our low-income neighbors are still disproportionately impacted by the drivers of premature death like chronic disease, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, and COVID-19. The stark decrease in New Yorkers’ lifespan following the pandemic is deeply concerning, and we are pleased that the Adams administration is implementing a comprehensive plan – ‘HealthyNYC’.”
“A ‘HealthyNYC’ is a ‘Food Forward NYC.’ As we work across agencies, to ensure all New Yorkers have equitable access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food, we must be equally relentless in our targeting of other major drivers of illness and inequities,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “We applaud this administration’s and DOHMH Commissioner Vasan’s unprecedented commitment to increasing life expectancy through this comprehensive goal-setting framework underscored by an ambitious nutrition mandate. These cross-cutting initiatives and coordinated preventive actions represent a deeper investment in the overall health of every New Yorker than ever before.”
The City’s Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez said, “Making sure older New Yorkers can access the programs and services the city offers is an important step to improving people’s well-being, and I am pleased we are taking these positive steps to create a healthier and more equitable city. As such, NYC Aging developed the ‘Join Us’ campaign, encouraging older residents to come out and see what their local older adult center has to keep them healthy. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how important it is to ensure residents take care of their bodies and minds all
