Europeans Check Out NYC Health Push

By KAREN MATTHEWS

NEW YORK – The European Union can learn from New York City as it battles health threats that include smoking and trans fats, EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said.

Kyprianou, who’s pushing for pan-EU legislation to ban smoking in public places, met with New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden to discuss the city’s smoking restrictions and its ban on artery-clogging trans fats at restaurants, among other matters.

"I was impressed by the leadership shown by New York City in the area of public health," Kyprianou said Monday. "And it was interesting that they faced the same sort of opposition, but the fact that they overcame that opposition and they managed to produce results."

New York City outlawed smoking in most indoor public spaces in 2003 and is moving to ban artificial trans fats. With some exceptions, restaurants will be barred from using spreads and frying oils containing trans fats by July 1.

Kyprianou noted that Ireland passed a smoking ban in 2004 and other EU members including Italy, Scotland, England and Wales have followed.

"The mood is changing," he said. "And we should never lose sight of the fact that the majority of Europeans are nonsmokers."

In Europe, as in New York, foes of smoking bans have argued that such laws hurt the hospitality industry.

"The same arguments were used here and were proven wrong," Kyprianou said. "So that will help us also in our debate."

The trans fat debate is newer in Europe, where many national traditions feature heart-healthy fats like olive oil.

"People have started abandoning the traditional healthy diets, and they’re moving to the same dietary habits as they do on this side," Kyprianou said. "In some member states the rates of obese and overweight people are higher than those in the United States."

He said New York City’s effort to restrict trans fats as a dangerous substance by linking them to heart disease was "a very interesting approach which we will study also in Europe."

Kyprianou spoke at the offices of the European Commission’s delegation to the United Nations after his meeting with Frieden. Discussions also touched on combating alcohol abuse and preparing for a public health emergency such as a bird flu pandemic.