Obesity plateau?

The rate of childhood obesity may have plateaued, says this article citing research from the Journal of the American Medical Association. From the Bloomberg report:

About 32 percent of children ages 2 to 19 were at risk for being overweight or obese from 2003 to 2006, little changed from 1999, according to data in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association. Of those, 16 percent were overweight or obese and 11 percent were considered the heaviest kids.

TK: Health advocates are worried that this story - offering only a modest hope that obesity has hit its peak - could even so decrease the will to come up with a comprehensive and effective public policy to combat obesity in kids.

Miracle fruit - NYT

Here is the link to a story from The New York Times about the miracle fruit that rewires taste buds. The story notes the fruit is available by special order from Baldor Specialty Foods and S. Katzman Produce. From the story:

The miracle fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum, is native to West Africa and has been known to Westerners since the 18th century. The cause of the reaction is a protein called miraculin, which binds with the taste buds and acts as a sweetness inducer when it comes in contact with acids, according to a scientist who has studied the fruit, Linda Bartoshuk at the University of Florida’s Center for Smell and Taste. Dr. Bartoshuk said she did not know of any dangers associated with eating miracle fruit.

During the 1970s, a ruling by the Food and Drug Administration dashed hopes that an extract of miraculin could be sold as a sugar substitute. In the absence of any plausible commercial application, the miracle fruit has acquired a bit of a cult following.

Truck Rate Report - May 27

With $5 per gallon diesel in California, the truck outlook isn't getting any easiler. From the USDA truck rate report:

A shortage of trucks was reported for the following commodities and regions: tomatoes, melons and grapes from Nogales, Arizona, grapes from Coachella Valley California, onions from Imperial Valley California, citrus and strawberries from South District California, onions from Vidalia District, Georgia, sweet potatoes from Eastern North Carolina, onions from the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas and San Antonio-Winter Garden-Laredo District Texas, citrus, avocados, watermelon and mixed vegetables from Mexico Crossings Through Texas, and watermelons from South Texas. A slight shortage of trucks was reported for the following commodities and regions: peppers, corn and mixed vegetables from Imperial & Coachella Valley California, carrots from Kern District California, lettuce, mixed vegetables, strawberries and raspberries from Salinas-Watsonville California, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and cherries from San Joaquin Valley California, mixed vegetables and strawberries from Santa Maria, potatoes from San Luis Valley Colorado and Central Wisconsin, tomatoes from Central and South Florida, melons and potatoes from Florida, cabbage and mixed vegetables from South Georgia, and sweet potatoes from Louisiana and Mississippi. FIRST REPORT was issued for mixed vegetables from South Georgia. LAST REPORT was issued for onionsfrom the Lower Rio Grande Valley. All other districts reported an adequatev supply of trucks.

Deal shopping

I visited with Steve Lutz of the Perishables Group earlier today about consumer behavior in a scenario of rising prices. He pointed out that fresh produce isn't necessarily in a position of strength; consumers already tend to think fresh fruit and vegetable prices are on the high side. In that context, this story from The Houston Chronicle speaks to how retailers are positioning themselves for the value choice:

It's vital for grocers to "show customers they're on their side," said Kit Yarrow, professor of business and psychology at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. "Consumers want to feel like they can trust that their grocer is doing everything they can to help them."

Among retailers, grocery stores have some of the most loyal customers. But now that fuel costs are taking a bigger chunk than ever out of people's income — at the pump and in their light bills — those bonds are in jeopardy of breaking.

"Consumers hate to switch grocery stores and tend to be very loyal, but all that's up for grabs right now, and every smart grocer knows that," Yarrow said.