Can't we all just eat and get along?

The New York Times says parents who insist that their kids can only eat soy hot dogs at kiddy b-day parties eating are creating a legion of "neurotic" health nuts. Oh, my, I couldn't agree more!

Seriously, Slashfood elaborates:

Nutritionists and eating disorder specialists say they're seeing an increasing number of children who are terrified of "bad" foods, whether that means non-organics, trans fats, or just regular old sugar, to such an extent that it disrupts their daily lives. "We're seeing a lot of anxiety in these kids," says Cynthia Bulik, director of the eating disorders program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "They go to birthday parties, and if it's not a granola cake they feel like they can't eat it"

When I was a kid, my main source of protein was cheap-ass hot dogs; and I lived for every chance I could eat birthday cake with lard-based icing. I also played organized baseball nine months out of every twelve from ages 8-18; and I rode my bike five hours a day when I was 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15-years-old. I also raced 'round a BMX for a month, and I was a boxer twice as long as I was BMX racer.

I remain amazed that "childhood obesity" is an endemic problem. When I was a kid, fat kids were the exception, not the rule. Eat less and excercise -- and drop them game-controllers -- that's what today's kids need. Indeed.

The gov'ment nannies need to leave chicken fingers and French fries and Cokes alone. What they need to be doing is encouraging kids - and their friends and siblings - to eat healthy and get off their asses.

Eat less and exercise more ... 'tis guaranteed to keep you thin and healthy. (And it don't require no Obama "stimulus" funds, neither.)