The New York Calorie Counters Department (NYCCD) is at it again. Their original proposal to require all fast food restaurants to post calorie information on their menus.

Prominently.

For everyone to see.

I'm going to New York City in about 10 days for an outing with my program. If this passes, I am NOT eating in a fast food restaurant.* Which is unfortunate, because it will

a) demonstrate that the "campaign" is working
and
b) I don't have anything against Micky D's. The white meat chicken tenders are remarkably tasty, and the 4-piece McNuggets are a great pick me up for only $1. Granted, I eat there about twice a year, but still. Most of their food is gross, but I don't think they're evil people.

Eating, it seems, is now a crime. Okay, fine, we'll give you some leeway. You can have lettuce. And black coffee. And Splenda. But that's it. Frankly, it's no one's business what I eat. Obviously, when I had nearly starved myself to death, that's someone else's business because the anorexia had left me unable to make it my own business. We have privacy at the pharmacy counter, yet we don't have privacy at the food counter.

Ridiculous.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There is no evidence that increased knowledge of food and fat and calories changes anything about a person's food choices (unless they're eating disordered like me). To use their data, we're getting fatter and fatter. We're also more aware of everything single freaking thing that we put in our mouths than ever before. If there was a positive correlation, we would have seen it.

I think it's good that they have nutrition and allergy information available. It can be useful. Just don't throw it in my face. It's like my feelings on PDA (public display of affection, though personal digital assistants can, at times, also fall into this category): I don't care if the cutsey couple kisses or has sex. I just don't want to watch it.

Another story, also on MSNBC.com:

Being a little heavy may have some benefits

I'm still not sure what to think about this story. On the one hand, it's nice to see some sort of anti-hysteria piece. At least that's what it appears on the surface. Yet some comments by the doctor at the end really pissed me off. It seems like it's okay to be a "little heavy" but you better not get FAT!

Thoughts?

*Though given my vast calorie knowledge, I don't know that there's a whole lot that I don't know.