Scientists have revealed the intricate structure of cartilage in what they hope will provide clues to how the crippling joint disease osteoarthritis might one day be treated.

Mothers who breastfeed should be sure to have enough calcium in their diet, or may risk bone loss around their teeth and gums, according to a new study that appears in the January issue of the Journal of Periodontology.

If playing video games makes kids less active -- and contributes to obesity -- why not create more video games that require activity?

Undernourished women who take a vitamin and mineral supplement while pregnant may be less likely than women taking only iron and folic acid supplements to have babies weighing less than 2,500 grams, and their newborns may be less likely to have morbidity in the first seven days of life, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Individuals who take in higher levels of the nutrient folate through both diet and supplements may have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Results from the NHLBI Growth and Health Study of more than 2,300 girls suggest that girls as young as age 9 who are overweight are at increased risk for short-term and long-term problems that increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Those who were overweight were more likely to have elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels compared to girls who were not overweight. The study also provides insight into differences between African-American and Caucasian girls.

Families whose meals frequently consist of fast food are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits, poor access to healthy foods at home and a higher risk for obesity, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

The interplay between genetic predisposition and exposure to modifiable risk factors can multiply the risk for age-related macular degeneration, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

UCLA researchers report that for patients hospitalized with acute heart failure, a higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with a substantially lower in-hospital mortality rate. The finding offers more insight into an observed phenomenon in chronic heart failure called the "obesity paradox."

The phrase "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" has taken on new meaning for teenagers. A new study suggests that as teens enter adulthood, they are more likely to skip breakfast and increase their fast food consumption, and that both behaviors lead to an increased risk of weight gain. Researchers at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at the Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical School conducted the study.

Understanding the differences among drivers in different gender and age categories is crucial to preventing serious injuries, said researchers in a new study showing stark statistical differences in traffic-accident injuries depending on the gender and age of drivers.

Many individuals with type 2 diabetes are diabetic because their body no longer responds to the hormone insulin. Before they become clinically diabetic their body tries to compensate for the lack of insulin responsiveness by increasing the mass of insulin-secreting cells (beta cells) in the pancreas. A new study shows that in mice with high-fat diet--induced insulin resistance, changes in glucose concentration are likely to be the main trigger of increased beta-cell mass.

In work with mice, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine discovered a factor that could be responsible for many unexplained cases of elevated triglyceride levels.

The FTC has filed complaints in four separate cases alleging that weight-loss and weight-control claims were not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence. Marketers of the four products --Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, TrimSpa, and One-A-Day WeightSmart -- have settled with the FTC, surrendered cash and other assets worth at least $25 million, and agreed to limit their future advertising claims.

Many of us will make the resolution to eat healthier this year, adding more fruits and vegetables, and less salt and fat, to our diet. But if you really want to spice up health -- and those healthy foods -- try adding a dash of basil and oregano, or a few cloves of garlic to your diet too. Using more herbs and spices and fewer traditional seasonings like sugar, salt and fat, can help to improve the overall health benefits -- and flavor -- of the foods we eat every day, says Suzanna Zick, N.D., M.P.H., a naturopathic physician and researcher at the University of Michigan Health System.

Researchers report in the January issue of the journal Cell Metabolism, published by Cell Press, the discovery of a genetic "switch" that drives the formation of a poorly understood type of muscle. Moreover, they found, animals whose muscles were full of the so-called IIX fibers were able to run farther and at higher work loads than normal mice could.

Estrogen regulates the brain's energy metabolism in the same way as the hormone leptin, leading the way to a viable approach to tackling obesity in people resistant to leptin, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the Dec. 31 online issue of Nature Medicine.

Watching television, eating family meals and the safety of the neighborhood all play a role in children's weight, according to researchers at the University of Missouri.

For plenty of good reasons, the term "trans fat" leaves a bad taste in the mouths of health-conscious consumers. Typically, trans fatty acids are bad for health, but scientists at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture have coaxed out significant health benefits by juggling the molecular structure of soy oil.

Assessing and meeting people's nutrition and health needs is often made more difficult when they do not accurately report what and how much they eat, according to researchers at Pennsylvania State University.