TRENDS

1) Popping Pills

It used to be that parents locked the liquor cabinet to deter teenagers from sampling. Today, the medicine cabinet may be a bigger concern.

As many as one in six teens has misused prescription pain medication, and one in 10 has taken prescription stimulants or tranquilizers illegally, according to a recent tracking study by the Partnership for a Drug Free America.

"This is going on in the face of declining use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescents," Tom Hedrick, president of the New York-based nonprofit, told WH.

The situation is dangerous, Hedrick said, because teens generally perceive prescription drugs as safer than street drugs, even though overdoses and unpredictable interactions between multiple medications can be just as deadly, particularly when alcohol is thrown into the mix.

One category of frequently traded and misused drugs caught the public's attention earlier this month, when a federal advisory panel recommended strong warning labels for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall. It comes amid consistent reports that the drugs can have dangerous effects on the heart, even while usage continues to grow. In 2001, one in 10 doctor's office visits by teenage boys resulted in a prescription for these drugs, according to a Brandeis University study published last month in the Journal of Psychiatric Services. Between 1994 and 2001, total prescriptions for these psychotropic drugs spiked 250%.

"Any time you have so many kids on a prescription drug, there is the potential for abuse," said Cindy Thomas, lead author of the study.

Separate research by the University of Michigan found that misuse of these drugs was especially high among young adults at competitive universities, with some high-achieving students taking non-prescribed pills for marathon study sessions and stress relief.

Pharmacists can help, Hedrick said, by staying informed about the situation and helping parents understand that this is a real problem. "Parents need to be more aware, and they need to include abuse of medicines in the drug talks that they have with their kids."

2) Cotton Tale

Last October, Wal-Mart Stores President Lee Scott unveiled an ambitious plan to make the world's largest retailer more socially and environmentally friendly. Among the initiatives was a proposal to introduce organic cotton clothing to stores.

Even though organic cotton is a single $50 million thread in a $200 billion sweater, demand is growing at an estimated 20% a year - making it a hot item in the cotton apparel industry.

The big question is whether the majority of the general public is even aware of the existence of organic fibers, and what it means to call a fiber "organic." One favorite marketing message talks about production methods. Industry statistics indicate that a single organic cotton T-shirt eliminates one-third of a pound of chemicals from the environment.

Anita Morton, general manager of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative, said the nation's top-producing state for organic cotton will harvest roughly 6,000 bales this year, up several hundred bales from 2005.

"A lot of consumer interest is still in organic food, but we think that interest will grow to include clothing down the road," she said.

The Organic Exchange, Oakland, Calif., lists dozens of retailers already using organic cotton in at least some of their clothing, and a survey by the Organic Trade Association anticipates sales of organic apparel will increase by more than 15% each year for the next three years.

ROBERT VOSBURGH

3) No Small Controversy

In 2003, when a New Statesman reporter asked Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley whether the emerging field of nanotechnology was safe, he scoffed, "We're not advising that you eat nanotech stuff."

What a difference three years makes. Researchers have recently discovered ways to use nanotechnology - the science of engineering at the molecular or atomic level - to enhance foods with more absorbable nutrients, slow the oxidation of cooking oils and create new food packaging, such as plastic bottles that prevent beer and soft-drinks from going flat. However, some say that this nascent science is getting ahead of itself, overlooking potentially serious risks to consumer health.

"Nobody knows what the long-term risks are for nanoparticles in food, and nobody's looking at it," warned Charles Margulis, spokesman for the Center for Food Safety, a Washington-based environmental advocacy organization.

Critics like CFS say that the ultrafine particles developed through nanotechnology can potentially become lodged in lungs or slip easily through the membrane that protects the human brain from toxins, leading to unpredictable consequences. Advocates counter that the technology promises dramatic new advances in fields as diverse as consumer electronics, medicine, nutrition and even pollution clean-up, with potential benefits far outweighing the risks.

Consumer awareness of the issue remains very limited, and shoppers have few avenues to learn which foods and products are employing this technology. Notably, there are no current labeling requirements and no regulatory oversight, even as the science has become more widespread in products such as sunscreens, cosmetics and stain-repellent fabrics. Already, comparisons with the history of asbestos are being drawn, and major corporate re-insurers, such as Zurich-based Swiss Re, are scrambling to assess possible liabilities.

"There plainly are some major uncertainties here, and while uncertainties do not necessarily mean that [nanotech products] are dangerous, it does mean that in commercial terms it's risky," said Nigel Cameron, director of the Center on Nanotechnology and Society, Chicago.

MATTHEW ENIS

4) All Together Now

Looking to expand the health and wellness department without adding stockkeeping units? Move the kosher section closer.

"Kosher enjoys a pretty positive perception even among non-Jewish consumers because they know it's produced along strict guidelines," said Jamie Brent, national category manager for grocery, Wild Oats Markets, Boulder, Colo.

A review of natural and organic products shows that many just happen to be kosher. That makes kosher foods an additional contributor to whole health merchandising schemes and ideal for attracting crossover customers.

"In general, we see a greater synergy between kosher, natural and organic. There is added value," said Menachem Lubinsky, president of the marketing firm of Lubicom Marketing & Consulting in New York, and co-producer of the Kosherfest trade show.

Yakov Yarmove, corporate kosher marketing and operations manager for Albertsons, agreed. "We see some of the traditional kosher vendors coming to the table with specialty items that could fit in health and wellness sets."

Yarmove said there's a trend with gluten-free items and traditional kosher vendors. As Passover approaches, not only are Jews looking for flour-free products, celiac and restricted-diet consumers are shopping out of Passover sets as well.

In response to this consumer synergy, Albertsons has started positioning traditional kosher sections adjacent to natural and organic sets at some stores.

"We are seeing a very positive impact in the natural sets when we do that," Yarmove said.

A recent study by Mintel International Group backs up the anecdotal evidence, concluding that 55% of people who buy kosher buy it because they think it's safer or healthier.

Retailers should note that not all kosher products are natural - like Oreo cookies.

However, that's not keeping manufacturers from pursuing development of products that fit both lifestyles.

"I think some companies are beginning to realize the more they produce these kosher products with more progressive and better ingredients, the broader their appeal is going to ultimately be," Brent said.

AMY SUNG

5) Genes That Fit

In the future, meals tailored specifically for your DNA will ward off illnesses, cancers and even signs of aging.

That dinner bell may still be years away, but genetic testing kits promising to help people chart a more personal course toward better health are already popping up at supermarket pharmacies in stores such as Lunds/Byerly's and Ukrop's Super Markets. With the ever-strengthening bond between food and health, it's an ideal match.

The kits are part of an emerging field called nutrigenomics or nutrigenetics - the study of how genetic differences impact an individual's responses to specific foods and nutrients. In other words, the more someone knows about their personal genetic quirks, the more they can optimize their diet or their intake of specific supplements for better health.

Some of these different responses have been obvious for quite a while. For example, about 90% of Asian American adults are lactose intolerant, while only about 20% of Caucasians are affected by this genetically programmed difficulty with dairy products. There are many, other minor reactions going on under the hood every time we eat, resulting in cumulative, long-term effects if we're eating too much of the wrong foods or not enough of the right ones.

The kits - which are made by Boulder, Colo.-based Sciona and retail for $99 each - test for specific conditions, such as vulnerabilities to heart disease, diabetes and bone loss. Customers swab the inside of their cheeks and send the sample to the company, which analyzes the culture and sends the findings back to the customer. Since the tests are very new, it's still too early to predict how broad or narrow their appeal might ultimately be, said Douglas Kline, director of communications for Lund Food Holdings.

"It is a cutting-edge approach, and that's one of the reasons why we decided to offer it," he said. "We want to make sure that our customers know they can look to us for these types of advances."

Customers who do try the kits are encouraged to review their personalized results with a Lunds or Byerly's nutritionist, Kline said. "It requires discussion, and we welcome that because it's another way for [our staff] to provide guidance and support for our customers," he added.

MATTHEW ENIS

6) Disease for the Ages

Mental health advocates are alarmed by the increasing number of older Americans suffering from eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Some entering treatment are as old as 70. There is a suspicion that aging baby boomers, with their intense desire to stay fit and youthful, are behind the uptick in cases. Their drive compels them to diet and exercise often beyond healthy limits, making them especially vulnerable to the diseases, experts say.

"We're looking at a very image-conscious society, rather than a health-conscious society," said Sondra Kronberg, a New York-based clinical nutrition therapist.

The National Eating Disorders Association estimates as many as 11 million men and women suffer from some degree of anorexia or bulimia. Of those, five million are at serious health risk. Advocates hope the food industry can help eliminate the secrecy and shame associated with such illnesses.

"To some degree there needs to be more responsible marketing and advertising of food, and a whole cultural shift around food in a relaxed way, not such an obsessive way," Kronberg said.

Food is just one component of a very complicated disease. There is new concern that making prescription diet drugs like Xenical available over the counter could exacerbate the situation.