In 2002, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey indicated that:

• 30% of Arkansans age 65 and older are overweight
• 20% are obese
• 70% of Arkansans age 65 and older do not meet the five-a-day recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption

Leading causes of death in the aging population are:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases, and
• Diabetes

Your chance of suffering from these diseases can be reduced by living a healthy lifestyle. You can begin by eating a nutritious diet. Not only do you need to eat the right foods, but you must watch how much you eat especially when eating out. Below you will find information on portion sizes provided by the Arkansas Department of Health.

People always underestimate how much they eat. This is what a "real" portion or single serving should be:

1. Meat, chicken, fish: 3 ounces, or the size of deck of cards, or the palm of a woman's hand
2. Pasta (cooked), rice (cooked), oatmeal, potatoes, cooked vegetables: half a cup, or the size of a tennis ball
3. Bagel or muffin: 1 ounce, or the size of a ping pong ball
4. Cheese: 1 ounce, or the size of a woman's thumb, or dice stacked together
5. Butter, oil, margarine: 1 teaspoon, or the size of a stamp
6. Salad dressing: 2 tablespoons, or the size of an ice cube
7. Raw vegetables: 1 cup, or the size of a baseball

The following links will be helpful in starting your lifestyle change and eating healthier.

USA Rice Federation
Check out this site for great nutritional information and healthy recipes you can make with rice.

Arkansas Healthy Aging Report
This report describes the demographics and the health status of older Arkansans.

Healthy Eating Guide

Eating for Healthy Aging