Todays Newsbites

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased diabetes risk. But, the few published small trials of vitamin D supplementation havent shown a benefit on insulin function, which is important in blood sugar control. Included in this list is a new trial in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

For older adults struggling with obesity, its a bit of a catch-22 that weight loss may speed up age-related loss of muscle and bone mass (lean tissue). That could worsen physical ability and contribute to frailty. The solution? "Exercise is important to help preserve muscle and bone mass during weight loss and to further improve physical function," says Dennis T. Villareal, MD, at Baylor College of Medicine and lead author of a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Grandkids or kids at home? Note new advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The group revised its stance from no juice before 6 months old to no juice before one year old.

Portion-controlled packs of indulgent fare like cookies and chips may help people avoid overdoing such foods. A new study in the Journal of Business Research suggests such package cues may help us avoid overeating healthier foods, too.

If you've been eagerly awaiting calorie counts on restaurant menus, you'll have to wait some more.

Physical activity is good for your heart, but why? A big reason may be its role in lowering inflammation.

Could carrying a little extra weight protect you from an early death - perhaps by giving you an energy reserve if you fall ill? Past studies have suggested this might be the case, but new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine challenges this thinking.

Getting protein from insects and soy-based imitation meat instead of livestock are efficient ways to reduce our agricultural land use and harmful emissions (such as greenhouse gases), says a recent analysis in Global Food Security.

You may find salt makes you thirsty, but over the long run excess salt could cause your body to conserve water, so you actually drink less, according to two new studies in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The underlying processes may make you hungry and raise disease risk.

Think a claim like "low sodium" or "low fat" means a food is healthy? Not necessarily. Scientists looked at more than 80 million food and beverage purchases over a four-year period made by more than 40,000 US households.