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Smoking is Leading Killer of Manhattanites

By DNAinfo Staff on February 17, 2010 3:11pm  | Updated on February 17, 2010 3:03pm

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in New York City according to a study released Wednesday.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in New York City according to a study released Wednesday.
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Flickr/Valentin.Ottone

By Nina Mandell

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in Manhattan even as smoking rates declined by 27 percent over the past dozen years, according to a report released Wednesday.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation tracked data from across the country to monitor and rank counties on various measures of health including obesity, adult smoking, early death and more.

While New York may be the land of the booze, with 1.8 liquor stores per every 10,000 people, we rank low on vices compared to the rest of the nation. Only 17 percent of adult New Yorkers report smoking, according to the study, and 20 percent binge drink.

For New Yorkers, the survey also showed some positive signs in the prevention of infant mortality and AIDS deaths.

The data showed that initiatives to decrease both causes of death are effective. The infant mortality rate has decreased by 20 percent since 1998 — thanks in part to programs that include having a nurse come out to mother-to-be’s homes and checking for lead paint and other hazards. AIDS deaths have declined drastically since 1998 as well because of increased testing and prevention measures.

The Health Department said it would use the survey to help determine more preventative programs and initiatives to improve New Yorkers’ health.