Older, Wiser, Wider?

Call it what you will: the battle of the bulge, middle-age spread, the waistline war. Somewhere in that busy time between 30 and 40, the forces of nature—children, work, time—gang up on you. One day you notice last season's clothes are a little uncomfortable this time around.

All this comes at a time when age is less acceptable as an excuse for gaining weight. Just look at the current U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which make no allowance for getting heavier through the years.

Getting older doesn't have to mean getting wider, the experts say. The first step in the fight against flab is knowing your opponent. Take the following quiz to find out how well armed you are.

1. Middle-age spread is an increasing accumulation of:

A. Muscle B. Fat C. Fluid D. All of the above

2. Blame middle-age spread on:

A. Changes in metabolic rate B. Genetics C. Changes in lifestyles D. All of the above

3. When estimating how many calories they consumed in a day, most people:

A. Are within 25 calories of the correct figure B. Are within 100 calories of the correct figure C. Underestimate the correct figure by 200 to 300 calories D. Overestimate the correct figure by 200 to 300 calories

4. As fat accumulates in middle age, muscle mass tends to:

A. Decrease B. Increase C. Stay the same

5. Exercise aimed at reducing fat in specific areas:

A. Doesn't reduce the targeted area any faster than other body parts B. Reduces twice as much fat from specific regions as general exercise C. Reduces half as much fat from specific regions as general exercise D. None of the above

6. Exercise to help eliminate middle-age spread should:

A. Be aerobic in nature B. Be aimed at increasing your activity level C. Not require special equipment, facilities or training D. All of the above