Oklahomans lead in per capita cigarette consumption.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mike Farmer packs away a chicken-fried steak and a double helping of mashed potatoes, then explains why he doesn't bother to watch his weight.<br><br>"Oklahomans like food that

Saturday, November 23rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mike Farmer packs away a chicken-fried steak and a double helping of mashed potatoes, then explains why he doesn't bother to watch his weight.

"Oklahomans like food that sticks to the ribs," he says after eating lunch at RJ's Cafe, an Oklahoma City favorite for southern country cooking. "I leave the rabbit food to the rabbits."

It's the chicken-fried foods and all the fixin's, the swarm of dedicated smokers and the lack of exercise that puts Oklahoma near the bottom of the list in national health rankings, experts say.

The state is No. 46 in the nation for health, mostly because of high rates of smoking and heart disease, according to the UnitedHealth Foundation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks Oklahoma among the three worst states for heart disease deaths.

"Oklahoma is a very unsafe place to live," said state Health Commissioner Dr. Leslie Beitsch. "Cardiovascular disease and tobacco-related diseases are leading contributors to that. It's also related to diet -- chicken-fried-chicken being one of those really big factors."

Oklahomans aren't any fatter than other Americans, but they tend to exercise less and smoke more, he said. About 37 percent of Oklahomans are overweight, which mirrors the national average, according to the 2002 State of the State's Health Report. The number of smokers, about 23 percent, is not much higher than the national rate -- but Oklahoma smokers puff a lot more cigarettes per day than other Americans.

Oklahomans smoke 109 packs a year per capita -- 30 percent more than the national average of 84 packs and 150 percent more than California's per capita of 42.

Oklahoma's health status is a reflection in part of a poor economy, experts said. Many residents go without health insurance and skip regular physician checkups.

The state's heart disease death rate is so high -- 767 deaths per 100,000 men -- in part because of uncontrolled high blood pressure and high cholesterol, said Adeline Yerkes, who heads the chronic disease services for the Health Department.

People who don't have health insurance aren't likely to spend a couple hundred dollars every month for high blood pressure medicine, she said.

"It relates back to the economy," Yerkes said. "We don't have control of high blood pressure."

Another factor affecting the high heart disease death rate is lack of exercise.

"Where we're really bad compared to the rest of the nation is that we're so sedentary," Yerkes said. "When you don't exercise, you don't have cardiovascular fitness. Then you're more at risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke."

About 82 percent of Oklahomans do not exercise, compared to 78 percent nationally, the state health report says. The most common excuse is laziness, health officials said. But another issue is that most Oklahoma cities have not invested a lot of money in bike trails, tracks or even sidewalks.

In many places, a pedestrian trying to get to a store would have to walk in the street or the ditch.

"It's not walkable and bikeable," Yerkes said. "It's because the community doesn't push for it."

The health commissioner, a runner, steers clear of busy streets.

"I stay off the main drag," Beitsch said. "Running is not much exercise if you get killed."

Some of Oklahoma's health problems, particularly diet, are cultural. Down-home cooking isn't exactly healthy, but Oklahoma is known, after all, for its barbecue, beans and cornbread.

"Oklahomans tend to eat a lot of starchy foods and a lot of fried foods," said Sandy Richardson, a dietitian for the state Health Department. "What we do find is that many people are getting vegetables in the form of french fries."

But a larger problem than what Oklahomans eat is how much of it they eat. Serving sizes continue to increase -- whether it's super-sized fast-food, all-you-can-eat buffets or huge meals at home, Richardson said.

For Oklahomans who just can't skip the mashed potatoes or the cherry cobbler, calorie reduction is still possible. Consider the philosophy of construction manager Lynn Eidson, who will skip dinner if he eats a huge helping of lunch.

"I'm big on chicken-fried," he said, digging into a steak smothered in gravy. "I don't really watch what I eat. But I'll eat lunch and I won't eat dinner now. I might have popcorn while I'm watching TV."