Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in January reported its food-price index was up 32% in the second half of 2010, surpassing the previous record of June 2008.

FORBES: High Commodity Food-Price Decade Challenges All Global Managers

For example, the chart below shows how the food and non-food consumer price index (CPI) have declined on a year-over-year basis over the past several months.

FORBES: Chinese Monetary Discipline Sows Seeds Of New Growth

By controlling for individual and environmental influences on weight, such as income and health, they then measure whether food-price changes affect body-mass index (BMI).

ECONOMIST: Does a tax on junk food make sense?

According to Moody's, the average increase in the World Bank's commodity food price index for emerging countries was 3% year-over-year in the past 12 months, when India's index of wholesale food prices rose 10%.

WSJ: Moody's Says India's Food Inflation Credit Negative

The BoJ's own recent forecasts predicted that the year-on-year change in the consumer price index excluding fresh food would be negative this year, next year and in 2011.

ECONOMIST: Is Japan back in a deflationary trap?

President Obama has proposed replacing the regular consumer price index, or CPI, to adjust Social Security benefits with the chained CPI -- often called the cat food CPI because the index assumes that when the price of human food rises, seniors can substitute cheaper food to get the same nutrition.

CNN: Keep seniors' national park fees low

Andy Rothman , the China Macro Strategist for CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, believes that China is near the peak in food-price inflation and close to the peak in the overall rise in the Consumer Price Index for this cycle.

FORBES: Credit Tightening: Good News For Inflation

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reported that their food price index averaged 232 points in April, flat from March and 2.6% below its all-time high February level of 237.2.

FORBES: Global Food Price Stable In April Despite Supply Fears