The Fat Problem ThatMen Face

It is a pleasure tosee men of a certain age worrying about their weight.Listening to them is notsuch a pleasure.Because the men are new at the game,they don't hesitate to

discuss the fatproblem incessantly.

However,women of thesame age do not discuss the fat problem,especially not in mixed company.Theyprefer to face the problem with quiet dignity.Discussing the problem

might only drawattention to some stray body part that may be successfully tucked away under anarticle of clothing.

The age at which aman begins to explore the fat problem can vary.The actual problem can manifestitself in the early 30's,but broad-range discussion usually starts

later.There areearly nonverbal symptoms. I've watched the rugged journalist who shares myapartment sneak by with a Diet Coke.His shirts are no longer neatly tucked into

display a trimwaist.Recently he has begun to verbalize his anxiety.He tells me, with asheepish grin,that he is taking his suits to Chinatownto have them"tailored".

Still older men havelost their dignity and rattle on unabashedly.Often wives and children playimportant roles in their fat-inspection rituals.Take my oldest brother,a former

college footballplayer,as an example.His daughter says that several tinies a day he will standat attention and call out,"Fat,medium or thin?" She knows the correct

answer:medium.Thinwould be an obvious stretch,and fat may not get her that new video.According tohis wife,he stands in front of the mirror in the morning(before the day's

meals take theirtoll),puts his hands behind his head and lurches into a side bend,then clutchesthe roll that has developed arid says,"Am I getting fatter?" His wifeis expected

to answer,"Youlook like you may have lost a few pounds."

And then there arethe ex-husbands a pitiful group.They are extremely vocal.When I go to themovies with one,he confides that he is suffering from great hunger because he

is dieting.He hasn'teaten since the pancakes and sausages he wolfed down that morning.He pauses inhis monologue while he buys his popcorn.

After the movie,wesprint to a restaurant,where he again pauses to devour a basket of bread.Beforehe orders his chaste salad and soup,he grows plaintive.Do I think he's fat?

The journalistused to drink Diet Coke and tuck his shirts in order to keep trim.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned