Mayor Bloomberg announced today a plan to ban the sale of large sugary drinks at restaurants, movie theaters, and food carts in an effort to tackle obesity rates in New York City. The Mayor’s Task Force on Obesity states that “Americans consume 200-300 more calories daily than 30…
The US faces an alarming obesity problem. We are quick to blame individuals for eating too much or exercising too little, but in truth the causes are more complex and involve many factors.
Here’s our latest educational campaign to prevent STDs and pregnancy aimed at South Bronx teens. The campaign is part of the city’s efforts to ensure that all teens have the information, skills and resources to make healthy decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
You’d never eat 16 packs of sugar. Why would you drink 16 packs of sugar? The “Pouring on the Pounds” campaign continues. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using ARRA funds to place this spot – originally developed as a YouTube video by the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene – on national television. Launched yesterday, the 30-second commercial will be seen in NYC on broadcast and cable TV from April 30 - July 29, 2012. It will also air in several other ARRA-funded localities across the U.S, from Maine to Hawaii.
While this video is lighthearted, its message is serious. Roughly three out of five New Yorkers are overweight or obese, and sugary beverages are fueling the epidemic. The extra calories consumed in these drinks can lead to severe health consequences, including diabetes and heart disease. As with all elements of the 3-year-old public education campaign (which can be seen in its entirety here), this commercial aims to raise awareness and encourage people to consider healthier alternatives, such as water, seltzer or low-fat milk.
NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene and Fund for Public Health New York, Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Category A-Obesity
In 2008 and 2009, non-medical use of prescription opioids in the past 12 months – without a prescription or use with a prescription but in a manner other than prescribed – was reported by 4% (263,000) of New Yorkers aged 12 years and older. The highest rate of prescription opioid misuse was among 18- to 25-year-olds (9% or 85,000 young adults).
Vaccines help protect your child from many dangerous diseases, including measles, mumps, whooping cough (pertussis) and chickenpox. Children who are not vaccinated can get very sick or even die from these diseases.
People often misuse prescription painkillers. Misusing prescription painkillers includes taking painkillers without a prescription, taking painkillers that are prescribed to someone else, or using painkillers in ways that they were not prescribed. More than 1.5 million prescriptions for painkillers such as Oxycontin and Vicodin are filled in New York City each year, or one prescription for every five New Yorkers.
On average, 150 New Yorkers die every year from overdoses involving prescription painkillers.
Cancer affects the whole family, not just the smoker. What’s worse about your smoking - is it hearing from a doctor that you have cancer, or is it the moment you tell your kids?
In addition to the development of new anti-smoking education campaigns, ARRA funding has enabled the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to air stirring campaigns that have been shown to be effective in other jurisdictions. Click on the image above to see one such campaign, “What’s Worse?,” adapted from the United Kingdom. On the air for three weeks starting September 5, 2011, this television ad aimed to help smokers consider the reality they may face if diagnosed with a smoking-related illness like cancer. It is not just you alone who suffers. Your loved ones are impacted, too.
This emotional ad prompted a lot of feedback on the DOHMH “NYC Quits” Facebook page. One mother in Manhattan posted the following: “This commercial made me go online today to get the patch and hopefully after 30 years of smoking…I will finally quit.”
Ready to quit? Now through March 16, 2012, NYC smokers can call 311 or apply online at www.nyc.gov/nycquits for no-cost nicotine patches or gum.
Fund for Public Health New York and NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene, Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Category B - Tobacco
In May 2011, a new ordinance went into effect making all New York City parks, beaches, and pedestrian plazas smoke-free. The new rules will reduce secondhand smoke exposure for all New Yorkers seeking relaxation and recreation. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, even outdoors. The new rules will also reduce pollution from cigarette butts, the number one source of beach litter. Studies show that discarded cigarette butts are toxic, slow to decompose, and costly to remove.
To reinforce the legislation, the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) released another installment of its ARRA-funded anti-smoking education campaigns on May 26, 2011. Click on the image above to see a video about this important step toward making our City healthier, cleaner, and more beautiful.
The positive feedback on the DOHMH “NYC Quits” Facebook page was overwhelming. One mother from Brooklyn, for instance, posted the following, “Loving the new no smoking at the beaches and parks law…I can breathe freely…I went with my kids and it was a relief to not expose my kids to second-hand smoking while having fun and enjoying the sun.”
Ready to quit? Now through March 16, 2012, NYC smokers can call 311 or apply online at www.nyc.gov/nycquits for no-cost nicotine patches or gum.
Fund for Public Health New York and NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene, Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Category B - Tobacco
