Vitamins, Diet and Sports Nutrition

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — Balance Bar on Thursday asked Americans to join them in taking the Balance Bar Pledge, an anti-resolutions pledge that encourages people to skip the tradition of setting overly ambitious and sometimes unachievable goals and instead make one small step each month that supports their health, wellness and overall happiness.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — The long-standing partnership between Rite Aid and nutritional products retailer GNC is being extended through the end of the decade, Rite Aid said Thursday.

Rite Aid said the partnership, which started in 1998, has been extended through 2019. The extension allows Rite Aid to add at least 300 GNC LiveWell store-within-a-store locations over the next five years. Currently, there are more than 2,200 such locations throughout the Rite Aid chain.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Kashi on Wednesday launched Crunchy Granola and Seed Bars in two flavors - Honey Oat Flax and Chocolate Chip Chia. The bars include chia seeds, flax and quinoa. 

"We're passionate about providing delicious and progressive ways to nourish appetites. Kashi's new Crunchy Granola and Seed Bars are made from wholesome ingredients that make positive eating easy," John King, Kashi marketing director said.

WASHINGTON — In response to the study "Long-Term Multivitamin Supplementation and Cognitive Function in Men: The Physicians' Health Study II" and the editorial "Enough is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements," published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the Council for Responsible Nutrition on Tuesday released two video statements.

DALLAS — MarketsandMarkets on Friday projected the global probiotics market would reach $23.9 billion by 2017. 

"[The] probiotics market has been one of the prime beneficiaries of the recent fad over functional foods," MarketsandMarkets reported. "Rising levels of health consciousness and aging baby boomer population are a few of the drivers helping in the growth of the market. 

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Vitamin Shoppe on Wednesday announced that the company had filed suit against law firm Seeger Weiss in New York federal court. Seeger Weiss has been using the company's name and trademark "Vitamin Shoppe" in its domain name and marketing materials, as well as the trademarked Bodytech name in marketing and soliciting materials without the company's permission, Vitamin Shoppe charged. 

NEW YORK — The National Advertising Division on Tuesday referred advertising claims made by Bremmen Clinical, for its Vysera-CLS weight-loss supplement, to the Federal Trade Commission for further review.