I’m reading a story in today’s NYT about kids being picky eaters:

A week’s worth of dinners for young Fiona Jacobson looks like this: Noodles. Noodles. Noodles. Noodles. French fries. Noodles. On the seventh day, the 5-year-old from Forest Hills, Queens, might indulge in a piece of pizza crust, with no sauce or cheese.

Ok, fine, can kind of relate. Kids are picky eaters. We’ve got a two-year-old. Check.
The main point of the article, however, was this:

Researchers examined the eating habits of 5,390 pairs of twins between 8 and 11 years old and found children’s aversions to trying new foods are mostly inherited.
The message to parents: It’s not your cooking, it’s your genes.

Ummm, ok… fine…
But not really.
Let me go off if you will.
The problem with this study is that the article misinterprets it. The study says 78% is genetic. It says 22% is environmental. That 22% is huge. Think of it in these terms. Your water is 78% clean and 22% dirty. Or your flour is 78% pure…or your meat is 78% lean… you get the point….
My concern is that it very much feels like we are getting to the point where the answer to any problem is “it is genetic”? …where nothing is anyone’s fault…. where there is an excuse for everything. That just isn’t the case.
(And no, this isn’t terribly well argued)