The Leading Cause Of Death In New York Won't Surprise You
With the constant stream of drug advertisements, it can be easy to overestimate how common certain health conditions are. Public awareness campaigns for breast, prostate, colon, and skin cancer often emphasize the importance of regular screenings, while ads promoting blood glucose monitors may make type 2 diabetes seem more widespread than it actually is.
Granted, many of these conditions can significantly affect people's health and well-being, but only some of these health issues are life-threatening. You may not see as many public awareness campaigns about the number one cause of death worldwide — heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, almost one-third of deaths are caused by heart disease. That's why it shouldn't be a surprise that it's also the leading cause of death in the state of New York. (Here are the warning signs of heart disease you should never ignore.)
The National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported that 159 New Yorkers out of 100,000 died of heart disease in 2022. Cancer, COVID-19, accidents, and stroke rank just below heart disease as leading causes of death.
Risk factors of heart disease in New York state
Risk factors for heart disease vary across the counties in New York. According to the CDC, Hamilton, Fulton, and Lewis Counties have some of the highest rates of high cholesterol, while Tompkins County has the lowest, with about 28% of residents affected, followed by Livingston and the Bronx. Diabetes can also affect your heart disease risk. Putnam, New York, and Saratoga Counties have the lowest diabetes prevalence, with fewer than 7% of residents diagnosed. On the other end of the spectrum, more than 12% of residents in the Bronx, Orleans, and Franklin Counties have diabetes.
Obesity is another key risk factor. New York County (Manhattan) has the lowest obesity rate in the state, at just under 19%. In contrast, Franklin, Cattaraugus, and Lewis Counties have obesity rates that are nearly double that. Physical activity is crucial for heart disease prevention, yet nearly 30% of Bronx County residents report being inactive. In Tompkins County, that number drops to 12.4%. Smoking, another major risk factor, varies widely across the state. In New York, Nassau, and Westchester Counties, smoking rates are 11% or lower. Meanwhile, more than 22% of residents in Franklin and Fulton Counties identify as smokers.
What New York is doing to prevent chronic diseases
The New York Department of Health put together a 4-pronged approach to help you decrease your risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases. The first area of focus is eating a healthy diet. New York put forth programs to encourage its residents to cut back on sugar-sweetened drinks and encourage more people to eat more fruits and vegetables each day.
The second area of focus is to increase the percentage of New York residents who engage in regular physical activity and encourage more people to meet physical activity guidelines. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate (or 75 minutes of vigorous) aerobic exercise each week, with an added heart-health benefit if you get 300 minutes. You're also encouraged to do strength-training exercises twice a week.
New York also put together interventions to reduce smoking, including regulating tobacco companies, providing smoking cessation resources, and creating more smoke-free environments. Lastly, New York understands the importance of regular health screenings for obesity, high blood pressure, and blood sugar to detect and manage these risk factors for heart disease.