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Believe it or not, the growth rates of American obesity may be leveling off. That's according to a series of recent studies of various populations, and this fact was noted today by virtually every presenter.  But as one researcher put it today, taking joy at that leveling off is like taking joy on the fact that your town is only two thirds underwater and the rate of rising water is slowing.   Among some populations, the rate isn't slowing: among African American women, particularly girls, and among Hispanics, and among Native Americans, and among poorer Americans. So -- basically -- the upsurge in elite attention paid to obesity and some of the state-based policy interventions over the past few years seem to be effective crosspressure for whites, and for people with access to the material resources to pay attention to effective weight loss strategies.