Progressive Grocer - April 2010 - (Page 66)

GMA President’s Note Spearheading innovation and positive change Tackling Obesity: A New Blueprint for Success This weighty problem can be solved only if all stakeholders — in the grocery industry and beyond — do their part. By Pamela G. Bailey F or the better part of this decade, television, print and online news has been filled with troubling statistics about the rise in childhood obesity rates. Parents, public health officials and others have struggled for answers to this complex problem. sity rates in the United States have tripled and, now, nearly one-third of American children are overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control reports that two-thirds of American adults are also overweight or obese. It’s a serious problem grounded in significant historical, demographic and cultural shifts, one that the CPG industry believes can only be solved if everyone — the business community, parents, schools, government, doctors and others — does their part. Finding the Right Balance But now, for the first time, government, the food and beverage industry, parents, and other stakeholders share the same goal regarding this issue and agree on how to achieve it. Strong leadership is critical to any cause, and the battle against obesity is no exception. This was made evident in February, when First Lady Michelle Obama revealed her ambitious goal of solving pediatric obesity within a generation through a comprehensive campaign called “Let’s Move!” that unites all stakeholders — government, industry, parents, schools, health care providers and nongovernmental organizations — in pursuit of this common goal. Michelle Obama’s vision is well aligned with the ongoing efforts of the American food and beverage industry to combat childhood obesity. Her leadership will prove pivotal in the battle to improve the health of our nation’s youth. Over the past three decades, childhood obeMore ONLINE For additional information on how the consumer packaged goods industry is working with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to reverse the national trend of childhood obesity by 2015, visit www.progressivegrocer. com/GMAnote. 66 GMA member companies are committed to providing families with healthy choices, promoting healthy eating habits, enhancing nutrition knowledge, and supporting new opportunities for physical activity. We make this commitment with confidence, because we’ve been helping consumers eat better for years.We’ve changed the way we develop A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T and market more than 10,000 products — reducing fat, sugar, salt and calories; enhancing the nutritional profile with whole grains, fiber and other nutrients; and helping consumers manage portion size via updated packaging — all without sacrificing the convenience and taste consumers demand. But providing consumers with healthy, convenient and affordable products is just one piece of the puzzle. Last October, our industry helped launch the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), an unprecedented collection of food manufacturers, retailers, foundations and nongovernmental organizations whose goal is to reverse the national obesity trend, especially childhood obesity, by 2015. The foundation aims to fulfill this mission by promoting the concept of energy balance — which can be defined as balancing calories consumed as part of a healthy diet with calories expended by physical activity — in the marketplace, the workplace and schools. Pamela G. Bailey is president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), a Washington-based trade association representing more than 300 food, beverage and consumer products companies. www.progressivegrocer.com • Progressive Grocer • April 2010 http://www.progressivegrocer.com/GMAnote http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - April 2010

Progressive Grocer - April 2010
Table of Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Baby Needs/Baby Powder
The Lempert Report: Ways to Improve the Nutrition Facts Panel
Best Practices: The Employee Satisfaction, Productivity and Profit Connection
State of the Industry Report: Looking Up, Cautiously
Store of the Month: Standing Ovation
GMA President’s Note: Tackling Obesity: A New Blueprint for Success
Natural Meat: Where Was the Beef?
Produce: Swinging Springtime Sales
Beverage Alcohol: The Case for Beer
Breakfast Foods: The Start of Something Big
Dairy: Probiotics in Dairy and Frozen: A Healthy Pursuit
Baby Care: The Dry Season
Pet Care and Supplies: Where the Margin Is
Case Study: King of the Jungle
Tech Toolbox: A Look at the Latest Solutions
Foodservice: No Strain, No Pain
Sustainability: Green Energy is Blooming
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - April 2010