Americans’ health habits have gotten worse as our meal portions have gotten bigger and our exercise regimens have decreased.

That’s why at Saturday’s Lawrence Memorial Hospital annual Health Fair, registered dietitians Carol Gilmore and Linda Rippetoe were displaying plates stacked with everyday items, like a light bulb and a computer mouse, to illustrate appropriate food portions. For instance, instead of loading monster baked potatoes with lots of fixings, the healthiest portion is about the size of a computer mouse.

“Many people are visual, and if we were in the era of ‘clean your plate,’ : many people will say, ‘Give me a smaller plate,'” Gilmore said. She said older generations, who lacked the supersize-me mindset, ate smaller portions on smaller plates. Three Coca-Cola bottles were lined up next to each other to further the point. The bottle of Coke you can buy today is about twice the size of the bottle you could get several decades ago.

More than 40 local agencies and LMH departments held court at the hospital, giving the 1,200 people who attended a chance to get what amounted to a free checkup. Specialists were on hand to test blood pressure and hearing, breathing capacity and vision, as well as checking for oral cancer and doing blood work.

“A lot of people, I think, use this opportunity as kind of a checkup,” said Belinda Rehmer, LMH’s communications coordinator. “It’s a way to come in and see how you’re doing, overall.”

Rehmer said most of the screenings were performed by local physicians, who were donating their time.

As some people succumb to bad eating and health habits, Rippetoe said it’s important for them to realize how decisions, such as whether to eat a quarter-pound hamburger or a half-pound burger, affect them.

“People think they have to diet,” she said. “We’ve gotten to the point now (where you need to ask), ‘What is your lifestyle?'”

Lawrence resident Barbara Kemberling makes it a point to come to the fair each year “to get my blood tested (and) make sure I’m OK.” This year, she received a questionnaire that made her think about her health. It asked questions such as how often a person should receive a tetanus shot.

She said that if she couldn’t remember, then it must be time to get a new tetanus shot.

“It’s been quite interesting to find out the answers on this sheet,” she said.

Rehmer said the Health Fair has been an annual fixture at LMH for more than 20 years.