By Tom Easter
February 9, 2004

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Julie Gerberding addressed the 72nd Winter Meeting of the Conference of Mayors January 22 during the morning plenary session. Gerberding greeted mayors on behalf of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. She stated that the Secretary recognizes that he can't do his job without local leadership, adding that what mayors do has the greatest impact on public health.

"All health is local health," said Gerberding, speaking of how small the world is due to modern transportation, which allows a local health issue to become a global one in a very short period of time. "Local-global connectivity is unprecedented," she said, adding, "We are living in a very small world and we need come to grips with that as we prepare to help support health and prevent injury and disease." Gerberding outlined three major priorities on the CDC's agenda for the coming year. These are: 1) improved communication so that health responders and health officials can communicate instantaneously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the event of an alert or important report; 2) improved rapid delivery of antibiotics and vaccines to local populations; and 3) better access to laboratories that provide the full spectrum of rapid diagnosis for potential biological terrorist threats.

Gerberding also outlined non-urgent, non-acute medical concerns that have a serious long- term impact on health. Among these are cardiovascular disease, cancer and lung disease, which are the top causes of death in the U.S. The causes of these diseases are tobacco and obesity from lack of exercise and overnutrition. Obesity, in particular, is steadily increasing and has the potential to become the leading cause of death in this country. According to Gerberding, there are now three states in which more than 25 percent of the population is obese, not just overweight. "Obesity is a major health problem that you must take very seriously as we do here at CDC," she stated, emphasizing the need to create and implement programs to combat this growing epidemic.

Finally, Gerberding stressed the need for a strong relationship between the CDC and local governments so that together CDC officials and local leaders can protect, improve and preserve the nation's communities.