One of the nation’s leading experts on mergers and acquisitions is available to dissect Hollywood’s latest upheaval that combines two of its most valuable properties.

Florida State University Higdon Professor of Management David King has been at the forefront of Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) since Netflix began its own pursuit of WBD last December. On Tuesday, Paramount officially closed its deal with WBD to form Skydance in an agreement valued at approximately $111 billion.

The merger presents major operational and financial risks, but King said its success may ultimately hinge on stakeholder trust.

“The biggest challenge is maintaining confidence among investors, employees and the broader market,” King said. “Large mergers are ultimately about people as much as assets. If key talent leaves, promised content and strategic plans become harder to deliver.”

Signs of instability could lead to increased borrowing costs or greater pressure on the company’s already substantial debt load. According to King, it is critical that the merger proves it can deliver on its promises.

“Success depends on convincing stakeholders that the new organization can execute its vision, retain creative talent and generate the growth needed to support the merger’s financial commitments,” King explained.

The costly acquisition gives Skydance the scale to compete with other major players in the industry, but it must deliver enough growth and subscribers to justify the risk.

“The streaming era has changed the rules of the game,” King added. “While a combined studio would have a larger catalog of franchises and content, its biggest challenge will be keeping subscribers engaged and reducing cancellations. The merger may strengthen its position against competitors like Disney, NBC Universal and Netflix, but producing quality content and attracting top creative talent will still play a major role in its success. Owning a deep library of intellectual property is valuable, but audiences ultimately stay loyal to platforms that consistently deliver compelling films and series.”

Skydance is looking to preserve creative teams and only consolidate areas like marketing or distribution. However, King warns that balancing financial goals with creative strength is not always as clear-cut as executives may believe.

“Companies frequently promise that creative operations will remain largely intact while efficiencies are found elsewhere, but mergers are rarely that straightforward,” King said. “Organizations often overestimate how much they can save and underestimate the resources required to maintain quality.”

King can provide expertise on Skydance’s corporate strategy and some of its remaining hurdles. He can be reached at dking@wertheim.fsu.edu.

Q&A with David King, Higdon Professor of Management, Florida State University

 Why pursue a deal that adds so much debt?

 “The driving force behind Paramount’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery is a belief that scale is essential to competing in today’s entertainment industry. David Ellison has aggressively pursued the acquisition despite its enormous cost, viewing Warner Bros. Discovery’s content library, brands and streaming assets as critical to long-term growth. The challenge is that the deal also brings significant debt and operational complexity. Whether the combined company can generate enough growth, efficiencies and subscriber revenue to justify the financial risks that come with such an ambitious acquisition will be critical to its success.”

DC Studios has established leadership under James Gunn. How risky would it be for new ownership to disrupt a creative operation that’s already in place?

“Any merger creates uncertainty because it can affect contracts, partnerships and long-standing relationships. Even if leadership intends to preserve DC Studios’ creative direction, there will be pressure to evaluate priorities and integrate operations. The challenge is balancing the needs of audiences, theaters, creators and investors, all of whom have different expectations. If key creative talent loses confidence in the company’s direction, retention becomes a major concern. Maintaining stability and trust within successful creative teams is often one of the most important factors in a smooth integration.”

Studios often say they’ll preserve creative teams and only consolidate areas like marketing or distribution. Does that typically hold up in practice?

“Creative businesses depend on specialized talent, and cutting too deeply can weaken production capabilities and push experienced people toward competitors. Replacing that talent is often far more expensive than retaining it. Ultimately, the success of a merger depends on balancing financial goals with the need to preserve creative strength and maintain confidence among employees and partners.”

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A Florida State University retail expert says early holiday sales will be a key test of consumer affordability from now leading into Black Friday.

Carl-Philip Ahlbom, an assistant professor and Dr. Persis E. Rockwood Emerging Scholar, has expectations that holiday consumer spending will surge above last year’s record-breaking total. Adobe’s online shopping forecast for the 2026 holiday season predicts a record-setting $275.1 billion in consumer spending, nearly a 7% growth compared to 2025.

However, Ahlbom notes that if early holiday sales fall flat, it could signal deepening worries Americans have on two of the country’s biggest issues: affordability and inflation.

“The next several weeks, particularly the period leading into Black Friday and Thanksgiving, will be the major test of how the quarter performs,” Ahlbom said. “I expect consumers will open their wallets for the holidays as they usually do. However, if early promotions and Black Friday sales fall short, it could signal a deeper affordability problem that retailers cannot solve on their own.”

Ahlbom, who is based out of the Rockwood School of Marketing at FSU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Business, conducts research in three key areas: retailing, services marketing and healthcare marketing. With Oct. 1 marking the start of Q4, the crucial three-month financial period that runs from October through December, major retailers like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Walmart and more are ramping up their holiday promotions even earlier to navigate consumer spending shifts.

Ahlbom notes that if early holiday sales leading into Black Friday disappoint, the bigger retailers are better positioned to absorb those losses. It could also benefit price-conscious consumers who would likely be introduced to better deals.

“Retailers would likely introduce steeper discounts earlier in the run-up to Christmas,” Ahlbom said if early holiday sales are slow. “That may benefit some consumers, but it would put additional pressure on an already sensitive industry. Retailers must get their messaging, pricing and forecasts right, which gives large companies such as Amazon and Walmart an advantage because their AI capabilities and forecasting models are generally stronger than those of smaller competitors.”

Media interested in covering how early holiday sales provide an important barometer for consumer affordability may reach out to Ahlbom via email at c.p.ahlbom@wertheim.fsu.edu. He is readily available to handle interview requests.

Carl-Philip Ahlbom, Assistant Professor, Florida State University

When it comes to holiday shopping, we’re always focusing on those prime months of November and December. But as Q4 begins at the start of October, how effective do you think pushing up earlier holiday promotions has been for retailers?

“I think earlier holiday promotions have been successful, particularly because they help retailers spread demand across a longer period. They may not generate dramatically higher total sales, some consumers are simply making purchases earlier that they otherwise would have made later, but they provide meaningful operational benefits. Extending the shopping season makes it easier for retailers to manage inventory, fulfillment and delivery rather than concentrating everything around Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas. Consumers also seem comfortable shopping earlier, as the timing of events such as Prime Day and similar promotions from Walmart demonstrates. For retailers, especially major online sellers that continue to grow, moving promotions into October can ease the traditional holiday crunch while encouraging people to begin their seasonal shopping sooner.”

For consumers shopping in Q4, what separates a truly effective holiday promotion from deals that can be considered more of a trap for overspending?

“From a consumer’s perspective, most deals promoted during special shopping events are not necessarily the best prices of the year. Price trackers can provide useful context, but even a retailer’s own tracking tool may not show the lowest price available elsewhere. Smart shoppers should focus on items they have already been watching and whose typical prices they know. If one of those products is discounted by 20% or 30%, it may be a worthwhile purchase. By contrast, products that appear prominently while browsing online or in stores are often placed there because they are profitable for the retailer, not necessarily because they offer the greatest value. The safest opportunities are often broad, storewide or sitewide discounts, such as 20% or 30% off, because they can reduce the prices of products that rarely receive individual markdowns.”

In what ways are retailers utilizing AI to benefit their own strategy?

“Retailers have used AI and machine learning for years, particularly to set and adjust prices online. Amazon, for example, changes prices millions of times each day; some of those prices may be personalized, while others respond to differences between forecasting models and actual sales. AI also supports behind-the-scenes operations and logistics. What is becoming more visible to consumers is hyper-personalized marketing. Retailers can tailor advertisements, product descriptions and other copy to an individual’s browsing or purchase history, meaning the information I see for a product such as a computer monitor may differ from what someone else sees. These increasingly personalized messages are designed to make products feel more relevant and ultimately encourage purchases.”

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The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has been unusually quiet, underscoring the important role large-scale climate patterns play in hurricane development and the challenges scientists face in forecasting seasonal activity.

Since the season began on June 1, no hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic Ocean, although there have been several tropical storms. In a typical season, the first hurricane tends to form by early to mid-August, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Allison Wing, an associate professor in Florida State University’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, studies atmospheric dynamics, with an emphasis on tropical cyclones and tropical convection.

The strong El Niño climate pattern now in place is a major contributor to the quiet Atlantic hurricane season, she said. The pattern produces stronger vertical wind shear, or changes in wind speed and direction at different altitudes, creating less favorable conditions for tropical cyclones.

“Vertical wind shear is bad for hurricanes,” Wing said. “It makes it harder for them to form, harder for them to intensify.”

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a recurring pattern of changing ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions across the tropical Pacific Ocean. During El Niño changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures influence rainfall and cloud development, which in turn affect atmospheric circulation around the world.

Although El Niño and its cooler counterpart, La Niña, significantly influence hurricane activity, other atmospheric and oceanic conditions also help determine how active a season ultimately becomes. Research continues to improve seasonal hurricane forecasting, but predicting activity remains a challenge.

For example, La Niña conditions briefly formed in late 2025 and lasted until early 2026 before the current El Niño pattern emerged.

“That speaks to the complexity of all the different factors that control hurricane activity,” Wing said. “While ENSO is a big factor, it’s not the only factor.”

Even in a quiet season, a single storm can cause major damage, a message that is especially important for Florida residents.

“Destructive storms can still develop late in the season,” Wing said. “Even in a quiet season, it only takes one hurricane to have a devastating impact. You should take the same preparations regardless of the seasonal forecast.”

Media interested in interviewing Wing about this year’s hurricane season can contact her at awing@fsu.edu.

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People taking popular GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound may face stigma from those closest to them, according to a new study by a Florida State University professor.

Braidyn Lazenby, an assistant professor at FSU’s College of Communication & Information, led the study “‘They Call Us Cheaters:” Exploring Stigma Management Communication Strategies During GLP-1 Medication Use.’” The findings were published last week in Health Communication.

Lazenby and her fellow researchers conducted open-ended, one-on-one interviews with 34 adults who were taking GLP-1 medications for weight management, metabolic disorders and other health conditions. Researchers used the reflexive thematic analysis method to identify recurring patterns in participants’ experiences.

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As everyday expenses continue to climb, TikTok DIY content has surged as an accessible and cost-effective alternative for consumers. Among the most viral trends is coffee making at home.

A 2026 study conducted by Mintel showed that one-third of consumers reported they are making more coffee at home in the face of price increases. The increase could be directly correlated with the rise of #COFFEETOK on TikTok. According to Mintel, 49% of Gen Z consumers reported learning about coffee and coffee-related topics from the social media app.

Florida State University Dr. Persis E. Rockwood School of Marketing Associate Lecturer Jonathan Jackson studies social media marketing, customer experience and data-driven marketing. He notes that influencers can be effective during economic shifts because they demonstrate how to adapt, adding that their persuasiveness is due to three mechanisms: Social proof, credibility and reliability.

“Followers often perceive creators as more similar or relatable to themselves than traditional celebrities or corporate spokespeople, particularly when the creator regularly shares everyday routines,” Jackson explained. “Research on influencer marketing consistently finds credibility, informational value and trust to be important drivers of attitudes and purchase intentions.”

While having to make coffee at home may initially seem like a chore, aesthetic tutorials on social media have shifted it into a desirable lifestyle trend. Jackson notes that the use of decorative glassware or espresso machines gives the behavior a more symbolic and emotional value rather than just economic.

“The tutorial provides useful information on how to make the drink, but the visual presentation provides inspiration. The consumer is not merely learning to make iced coffee; they are being shown a lifestyle they can imitate and personalize,” Jackson added.

This shift can offer an opportunity for beverage or home goods brands looking to capitalize on the trend. Jackson explains that for these brands, collaborating with smaller and highly relevant creators can make their products feel like part of the creator’s actual routine and not just inserted for an endorsement.

“Smaller creators can also be valuable because brands can work with many of them and allow the product to appear naturally across multiple routines, communities and use cases,” Jackson noted. “That creates repeated social proof without every piece of content looking identical.”

Media interested in interviewing marketing professor Jonathan Jackson on how influencers play a role in shifting consumer habits can email him at jjackson6@wertheim.fsu.edu.

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For a generation of college students, 9/11 is history rather than memory.

As the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks approaches, most of today’s college students were not yet born when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and a fourth crashed in Pennsylvania. At Florida State University, Professor of History Paul Renfro is helping students understand an event they did not experience firsthand but whose consequences have shaped much of their lives.

In his “U.S. in the 21st Century” course, Renfro uses firsthand accounts and online conversations from Sept. 11 to show students not only what happened, but how people experienced and made sense of the attacks in real time. Two important sources include the Columbia University 9/11 Oral History Project and the Metafilter community blog.

As the internet continued its rapid acceleration in 2001, Metafilter’s pioneering blog was flooded with user comments and speculation from the first moments of 9/11, offering a parallel to today’s social media world that also tends to circulate misinformation during extraordinary moments.

Renfro says these early-source documents and forums help to write historical events and understand real-time reaction.

“In that way, it’s not only a wonderful primary source document, it also kind of exemplifies how history is made, and how the first draft of history is written,” he said.

While there is no way for much of Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, to recollect the day, the aftermath is easier to understand. Renfro discusses how the memory of 9/11 has created broader foreign policy actions that are still felt today.

“I think that is where students kind of intervene, or they understand how that happened, because they do comprehend what the global war on terror has done; that’s something that has impacted their lives,” Renfro added. “As a single day, 9/11 is not something they’re going to be entirely familiar with.”

One of Renfro’s most salient points in educating his students about 9/11 is how national trauma can inform decision-making. He believes this is an outcome Gen Z can relate to based on traumatic events that have unfolded in recent years, referring to a history podcast he listens to that defines the immediate aftermath of 9/11 as a period of national psychosis.

“I think to a lot of students, that really resonates with them, not because they understand that feeling on a fundamental level, but they can see how that might happen,” Renfro said of nationwide terror. “That this fear and confusion can grip the country. That formula is something I really want them to understand, and I think they start to get it when they see that national trauma can sadly open the door for more trauma.”

Media interested in interviewing FSU Professor of History Paul Renfro on the path to 9/11 education for Gen Z can reach out to him via email at prenfro@fsu.edu.

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The phenomenon of transforming a college dorm room into a personalized living space has flooded social media, creating a flourishing market driven by fervent online communities. Behind the viral #DormTok trend lies masked benefits and consequences that go beyond remaking an Instagram-worthy room.

In a 2023 study published in “Anxiety, Stress, & Coping,” research showed students whose dorm rooms were less aligned with their ideal vision of a living space reported more depressive and anxiety symptoms and lower overall well-being. The closer a student’s living space matches their desired environment, the better their mental health outcomes tended to be.

Florida State University’s Stephanie Sickler, an associate professor at the FSU School of Design, centers her work on student success in design education and beyond. According to Sickler, personalizing living spaces on campus have both positive and negative consequences for mental and emotional health.

“Personalization of space creates a supportive environment that can be restorative in times of need and activating in times of growth,” Sickler said. “Students benefit when their private spaces are enhanced even in small ways. However, elaborate decorative dorm room appointments can quickly become weaponized as a delineator of perceived worth and value among campus housing residents when the disparity between individual spaces is as vast as the examples being promoted in the media.”

Sickler adds that students may take great pride in portraying a strong personal self-image in how they appoint their space. However, social media can contribute to them feeling like they cannot keep up with the aesthetics required for perceived acceptance, creating a lack of self-esteem.

Sickler, a recent inductee into the Council of Fellows of the Interior Design Educators Council, says research shows that redesigned living spaces can still be correlated to student success because of important predictors like having a campus community to identify with and living at least one year in campus housing.

“Students electing to live on campus are already ahead of their peers as it pertains to their chance for student success,” Sickler added. “Possessions are an important component to protecting one’s sense of self — an aspect students are building afresh with their start to college. Studies have shown that students’ well-being is positively influenced by their ability to personalize their private spaces with possessions that have value to them.”

Media interested in understanding how dorm room redesigns affect student mental health may reach out to FSU School of Design Associate Professor Stephanie Sickler via email at ssickler@fsu.edu.

Stephanie Sickler, associate professor, Florida State University School of Design

What are some of the most impactful design shifts — from a standard university dorm room to a customized living space — that you notice often in these dorm room makeovers? How can these redesigns benefit students?

“Standard campus housing provides furniture for students and a standard window covering such as mini blinds. Students only need to bring bedding, clothing and personal belongings to be able to move into their room. Highly customized spaces now include features such as upholstered headboards, window treatments, custom bedding, rugs and specialized furniture items such as upholstered ottomans and convertible chairs. These items, while beautiful, are luxury items used in private residences. Including them in a dorm room may make certain students feel more at home, if they have such features in their family home, but at the same time creates a false sense of what the world may be like when they graduate.”

“Custom soft goods vary greatly in cost, and since many are only used in the dorm for one year before students move to off campus housing or another residence hall, the expense is high for such a temporary housing scenario. That said, the soft headboard may make it more comfortable for a user to sit and study or watch tv in bed. Window treatments may offer better light control and sound insulation. Soft furniture may make it more comfortable to gather with friends in the room.”

“Some proponents of the trend have posited that students will no longer be using their dorm rooms for the live-work-sleep scenario as before, which seems a waste of the curated features. If the goal is to personalize the space to the point that the student feels they are back at home, it doesn’t make sense to never spend any time in the luxury space that was curated.”

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It can happen in fields, restaurants, hotels and construction sites — a type of human trafficking often hiding in plain sight and receiving far less media coverage.

Labor trafficking is a human rights violation in which individuals are forced to perform labor or services through force, fraud or coercion. The National Human Trafficking Hotline identifies examples including domestic workers forced to work in homes, farmworkers coerced through violence as they harvest crops or factory workers held in inhumane conditions with little to no pay. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 27.6 million people were victims of human trafficking in 2021, with 77 percent of them subjected to forced labor.

Florida State University’s Terry Coonan is the executive director of the FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights (CAHR), which focuses on human rights education, student field placements and pro bono legal advocacy for vulnerable populations. According to Coonan, labor trafficking is often overlooked because it can be difficult to recognize, investigate and explain to the public.

“Labor trafficking is vastly underrepresented in media coverage,” Coonan said. “Forced labor is harder to see; it hides in plain sight in legitimate industries. Forced labor is harder to investigate; it can require more law enforcement resources over extended periods of time. And forced labor may be harder to convey as a compelling victim story, in comparison to sex trafficking.”

CAHR has provided legal assistance to victims of labor trafficking exploited in Florida agriculture, hotels, golf resorts, restaurants, roofing industries as well as in private homes.

Coonan said forced labor can often occur in industries that rely on subcontracting, with companies hiring outside crews to perform work such as harvesting crops or providing cleaning services.

“What we’ve seen are subcontractors that can submit a low bid because they are exploiting forced labor in their work crews,” Coonan said. “Often the corporation does not know — or chooses not to know — that their profits are the result of labor trafficking by their subcontractors.”

Although forced labor accounts for most human trafficking cases worldwide, a 2016 study in the Journal of Human Trafficking found it appeared in only about 11% of trafficking-related media coverage. Media interested in understanding how labor trafficking can be difficult to spot and why it’s underrepresented in daily coverage may contact Terry Coonan via email at tcoonan@fsu.edu.

Terry Coonan, executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, Florida State University

While cases often involve subcontractors, what are some examples of labor trafficking that fall outside that scope?

“Here in Florida, we’ve also seen labor trafficking in cases that don’t involve subcontractors. These have included forced labor committed by traveling sales crews, by religious organizations and by private citizens who exploit women or children as house slaves.”

What are some of the most effective ways for these corporate supply chains that use child labor to be held accountable?

“We continue to see children exploited worldwide by corporations that rely on sweatshop labor, cocoa harvesting and cobalt mining. We’ve learned that far more is needed than voluntary codes of corporate conduct. What is really required is mandatory supply chain diligence and supply chain transparency by corporations. Countries like the United States have historically banned the importation of goods that are produced by slave labor, and that is important to continue enforcing.”

“Finally, and importantly, people should make very informed choices about where we spend our consumer dollars. Avoid fast fashion, cosmetics, chocolate or sports products that may have been produced by illegal child labor. Check company websites to see what they are doing to eliminate child labor or forced labor in their supply chains. Be selective about the brands you purchase.”

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After six years of raising their family in California, the next chapter for Prince Harry and Meghan includes returning to the U.K. for an extended period at a non-royal residence. Their six-year estrangement from the Royal Family — and the possibility of reconciliation — reflect dynamics that are relatable to many non-royal families.

Family estrangement is becoming common in American families. Last year, a YouGov poll found that 38% of Americans adults say they are currently estranged from either a sibling, a parent, a child, a grandparent or a grandchild. Included in that poll, which surveyed 4,395 U.S. adult citizens, 16% of respondents said they are currently estranged from a parent.

Florida State University’s Nari Jeter is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an associate teaching professor in human development and family science. She has become a nationally recognized relationship expert who has been featured in USA Today, Newsweek, SELF Magazine, HuffPost, Fox News and more.

In 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ estrangement from the Royal Family began due to several factors, including lack of palace support and constraints within the family that led to their decision to leave for the United States. According to Jeter, family dynamics where there is disagreement are relatable to families outside the spotlight.

“What’s especially familiar is the in-law dynamic,” Jeter said. “When a family doesn’t fully welcome a new partner, the person in the middle feels torn — to protect their spouse and translate actions on both sides. Often, that person feels like they can never win and keep both sides content, so they give up. This is where estrangement follows; it’s a way of reducing the immediate conflict within them and their family.”

Within the same YouGov Poll, individuals estranged from a child (70%) or grandchild (66%) were more likely to say they would consider reconciling with their family member. For Prince Harry, he remains estranged from his brother, William — The Prince of Wales. The Sussexes are expected to remain private citizens while in the U.K. However, there is a possibility of healing the family rift with his father, King Charles III.

The pathway to reconciliation, according to Jeter, often begins with humility and acceptance.

“Most reconciliation that I’ve seen starts with someone recognizing that wanting to be ‘right’ isn’t working,” Jeter said. “There is humility in recognizing that they could have done some things wrong or hurtful, even unintentionally. They don’t completely give up their views, but they accept that the other person can see things differently and it doesn’t have to be a threat to the relationship.”

Media interested in understanding family estrangement and reconciliation through the lens of the Royal Family may reach out to Nari Jeter via email at nari.jeter@fsu.edu.

Nari Jeter, licensed marriage and family therapist, Florida State University

Family estrangements involving notable figures can be quite different from everyday situations because they play out in front of the public. But in a situation like the Royal Family, what are some relatable concepts?

“It’s a common story that one person decides to step away from the family they come from to protect the family they made. That’s a pattern I see in my office every week. This kind of estrangement typically doesn’t come from one single blow-up, but from many moments where someone doesn’t feel seen, heard, or respected when it comes to their new family boundaries. This is especially true when that family member feels pressure to choose between being loyal to themselves (and their new family) or the family they come from.”

“Contrary to popular belief, estrangement isn’t about an absence of love. Many people who are cut off from their families feel grief, sadness and longing long after estrangement happened. Estrangement happens when love doesn’t feel safe, protected and respected.”

The pathway to reconciliation can be a long process. When you see families reconcile, what are some of the things that often lead to that final step?

“Another step usually comes with an apology or acknowledgement without justification or excuses. This is where emotional validation goes a long way. “I’m sorry I hurt you” or “I can tell I really disappointed you” isn’t an agreement on how they saw it, but it’s recognizing impact. People feel seen and heard when we accept their feelings. Most estranged family members aren’t looking for grand acts in reconciliation. One good apology or acknowledgement can really push the door open to reconnection.”

“Lastly, it’s common to see a significant life event cracking the door open: family sickness, a wedding, a birth, a death. Time and separation won’t heal estrangement, but an event that brings shared purpose or meaning to the family can motivate families to try. It’s important to not jump back into old roles and routines. Family members need to clearly communicate what wasn’t working before and talk about new expectations and boundaries. Small, sustainable, successful changes are the target. Short visits and weekly phone chats are a good starting point to rebuilding trust and connection. Reconciliation takes effort on both sides. It requires grace and humility, and the ability to see past our own hurts to the landscape of someone else’s life.”

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As GLP-1 drugs become increasingly common for weight loss, researchers are beginning to examine what these medications may reveal about eating behavior beyond the scale, including why some people experience persistent urges to binge.

Florida State University’s Pamela Keel, the Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology, has developed emerging research suggesting GLP-1 drugs may help reduce binge-eating symptoms in some patients by addressing a biological factor rather than simply targeting willpower or behavior.

Keel led the research team whose work last summer established that overlooked biological components in bulimia could be targeted by FDA-approved treatments for Type 2 diabetes. Their research concluded that in addition to targeting psychological factors in treatment, screening patients for biological conditions like high weight suppression — the difference between highest and current body weight — can help clinicians identify who might benefit most from GLP-1s.

The finding could help explain why certain patients experience improvements in bingeing when treated with GLP-1 drugs, and why binge eating should not be framed simply as a lack of self-control.

“Most treatments for eating disorders focus on psychological factors,” Keel said. “Our much-needed research allows clinicians to better understand what biological factors to target when treating patients with eating disorders.”

Keel’s study recently gained attention in the Wall Street Journal for a feature on how GLP-1s assisted one person who was battling bulimia — an illness marked by uncontrolled episodes of bingeing and purging. The article highlighted the research team’s finding that some people with bulimia experience a reduced release of the body’s natural GLP-1 hormone after eating — the same hormone these drugs are designed to mimic. The finding suggests that the persistent urge to binge may stem not from psychological weakness, but from a measurable hormonal deficit that medication could help address.

Keel, who conducts translational research in eating disorders, confirmed that her research provides a possible pathway for bingeing improvements for some individuals targeted with GLP-1s.

“These findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs might help some women stop bingeing by correcting problems with lower GLP-1 release while eating,” Keel said.

“These findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs might help some women stop bingeing by correcting problems with lower GLP-1 release while eating.”

– Pamela Keel, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology

A recent Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index shows the percentage of U.S. adults currently taking GLP-1s for weight loss has risen to 11% in 2026. Keel’s emerging research supports studies testing GLP-1s for their potential efficacy in individuals with bulimia and related syndromes.

Media interested in learning more about Keel’s research and its importance in navigating treatments for eating disorders may reach out to her via email at keel@psy.fsu.edu.

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Returning to work before breastfeeding is fully established presents an enormous challenge for mothers, according to Florida State University researcher and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Mirine Richey. As National Breastfeeding Month highlights the benefits of breastfeeding for infants and mothers, Richey says workplace policies can play a critical role in whether mothers are able to meet their breastfeeding goals.

Richey, a faculty member at the FSU Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Policy, has presented at state and national conferences and served as an international delegate to the World Health Organization, where she discussed infant formula market regulations and breastfeeding protection. She says many U.S. workplace and parental leave policies can make it harder for mothers to continue breastfeeding by disrupting pumping schedules, reducing milk supply and increasing stress.

“We spend a lot of time telling women that breastfeeding is important,” Richey said. “What we don’t do is provide enough support to help them reach their goals.”

While public health campaigns consistently promote the benefits of breastfeeding, many mothers return to work within weeks of giving birth. The early postpartum period is critical for establishing and maintaining milk supply, which depends on frequent breastfeeding or pumping. When mothers face demanding schedules, inadequate break time, limited privacy or insufficient workplace accommodations, maintaining that supply can become increasingly difficult.

“Milk-supply hormones can take six to eight weeks to reach their optimal levels, and this is done by feeding the baby every two to three hours,” Richey said. “Women who return to work during this time may not be able to pump this often due to workplace policy or just career concerns.”

The challenges are not only physical. Richey says workplace policies can affect maternal mental health. Many women feel pressure to provide breast milk because of its well-documented benefits. When work responsibilities interfere with breastfeeding goals, mothers often experience guilt, stress and feelings of failure. Mothers who work in extremely demanding fields, such as emergency workers and first responders, are often faced with an even greater burden.

Richey says healthcare providers need more training to help mothers navigate workplace challenges related to breastfeeding.

“Healthcare providers need more training to help care plan for women with unique workplace challenges, especially when returning to work in the first six months when baby is recommended to have only breast milk,” she added.

Richey can discuss how early return-to-work policies affect breastfeeding outcomes, the relationship between stress and milk supply, maternal mental health challenges during the postpartum period, and the workplace policies that can better support mothers and babies. She can be reached via email at m.richey@fsu.edu.

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The rise of pickleball has been rapid, growing in popularity since the pandemic. While the game is mostly promoted for its physical benefits in older adults, its greatest effect is shown in the social connections it builds.

According to the National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan and the AARP, 1 in 3 adults aged 50 to 80 reported feeling lonely or lacking companionship some of the time or often. Now known as a public health risk, loneliness is defined as the feeling that results from a perceived gap between a person’s desired social connections and their actual relationships.

Distinct from loneliness is the other public health risk of social isolation — an objective lack of social connections, encompassing few social roles, infrequent interactions and minimal participation in community activities. Further examinations on social connection point to both loneliness and social isolation in older adults presenting a major risk for premature mortality.

Florida State University’s Amy Chan Hyung Kim is an associate professor in the Department of Sport Management whose research focuses on promoting sport for health from a social epidemiological perspective. Of her many research projects, Kim has worked exclusively with the United States of America Pickleball Association and has produced research on pickleball’s benefits for retirees in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.

While noting all the physical benefits of pickleball, from improved strength to cardiovascular health, Kim believes the less obvious one comes from a cognitive angle.

“Research has shown that playing pickleball strengthens older adults’ social connections and sense of community while reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation,” Kim said. “Part of this comes down to the court itself, which is considerably smaller than a tennis court and keeps players close enough to talk easily with partners and opponents throughout a match/rallies. This sets pickleball apart from activities such as running or walking alone, which improve fitness but rarely bring people together in the same way.”

An advocate for expanding the sport’s growth, Kim believes the solution to continued momentum is accessibility.

“The more durable path is a network of accessible courts and welcoming local programs that make it easy for anyone to pick up a paddle and stay with it,” Kim added. “Court access remains the single largest barrier, as many communities still rely on tennis courts marked with temporary lines or a handful of public courts that fill up before most people arrive. Dedicated courts, whether built from scratch or converted from underused facilities, would do more than any advertising campaign to sustain growth. Beyond facilities, the next step is to make the game welcoming to people who assume it is not for them, including younger adults, families and those who have never considered themselves athletic.”

To learn more about how pickleball bridges much-needed social connections in older adults, as well as how the sport has grown in popularity, media may reach associate professor Amy Chan Hyung Kim via email at kamy@fsu.edu.

Amy Chan Hyung Kim, associate professor, Department of Sport Management

How does the setup of a pickleball court help in building social connections?

The format of the game reinforces a sense of closeness, since players can rotate partners, share courts and often stay to talk long after the last point. These social connections, in turn, are closely tied to better mental health and psychological well-being, with studies reporting lower levels of depression, stress and anxiety among regular players, along with greater happiness and life satisfaction. For older adults, the combination of movement and companionship may be the most valuable aspect of playing pickleball.

While it’s clear that the benefits outweigh the negatives, what are some things older adults should be weary of when playing pickleball?

Injuries are the most common concern, particularly strains and sprains of the ankle, knee, shoulder and Achilles tendon, which often occur when players lunge or backpedal for the ball rather than letting it go. Falls deserve special attention as well, since a single fall can lead to a fracture that takes months to recover from. Footwear helps guard against both, and proper court shoes are worth the investment because running shoes are built for forward motion and offer little support during the side-to-side movement the game demands. Heat is another factor, especially in Florida, where playing in the middle of the day can lead to dehydration or heat exhaustion. Sunscreen matters just as much for anyone playing outdoors, since regular sun exposure over time raises the risk of skin damage and skin cancer. Finally, older adults managing heart conditions, joint replacements or balance problems should talk with their physician before starting, not to be discouraged from playing, but to set sensible limits. With a warm-up, appropriate footwear, sensible pacing and attention to the body’s signals, most of these concerns can be managed rather than avoided.

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