Summer 2026

Inside this Issue

Editor's Note

With abstract submissions due in September, it is already time to look ahead to SBM 2027! In his message, SBM President Dr. Robert Newton writes about this year’s theme, Partnerships that Produce. I encourage you to think about the role that partnerships play in your work and to identify opportunities to reach up, down, and across to build relationships and collaborations that increase the impact of your work.

Promoting Physical Activity in the Era of Climate Change: Expert Perspectives on the Co-Benefits, Tradeoffs, and Future Directions

Behavioral medicine researchers are increasingly called to understand how physical activity can both influence, and be influenced by, climate change. The Evidence-Based Behavioral Medicine Special Interest Group asked leading international experts to explore this intersection.

The Rise of Type 2 Diabetes Among Youth and Adolescents: A Q&A with Eric P. Osei, BSN.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) among youth and adolescents in the United States (US) has rapidly increased over the past two decades and is an emerging public health concern. Since complications during this critical developmental stage can affect lifetime outcomes, it is crucial to understand better the considerations for treating T2D in this population.

Food is Medicine: The Equity Imperative

The Food is Medicine (FIM) movement has grown in popularity over the past decade, and FIM was recently announced as a highlighted topic for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Nutrition Research. FIM programs are based on the premise that a healthy diet can reduce chronic disease risk by integrating pre-made meals, groceries, produce, vouchers, counseling, and education into healthcare services.

The Environmental and Individual Health Impacts of Military Burn Pits

Military toxic exposures have occurred in most major military events and include chemicals (e.g., Agent Orange), radiation (e.g., nuclear weapons), air pollutants (e.g., burn pits), warfare agents (e.g., biological weapons), and occupational hazards (e.g., asbestos). Airborne hazards, like smoke from burn pits, have been common in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Southwest Asia. Burn pits involved open burning of waste, chemicals, and waste materials used during wars like Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) to avoid transporting waste in combat zones. Due to health concerns, the Department of Defense/Department of War has been closing all burn pits.

Listening Before Leading: What I Learned About Supporting Women in Science

Like many women in science, I have been asked countless times how I manage work-life balance, and I have smiled through comments that left me questioning whether I truly belonged or measured up. So, when I took on the Joint Editor-in-Chief role at Psychology of Sport and Exercise, I felt well-positioned to advocate for women in the field. Increasing gender diversity in journal leadership was a key priority for me, and one that was strongly supported by Elsevier and my joint Editor-in-Chief, Markus Raab.

Should You Apply for the Bridging the Gap Research Award? Current Awardees Say Yes — Here's Their Advice

If you have been thinking about applying for SBM’s Bridging the Gap Research Award but are not sure whether to take the leap, you are not alone. Many of the program's current awardees had the same hesitation. We asked them what they wish they had known before applying and what they would tell a fellow member considering today.

The Case for Sabbatical: Academia’s Most Underused Superpower

Every seven years or so, academia quietly offers one of its most powerful benefits: time. Not a long weekend, not a lighter teaching load, but a true sabbatical, a deliberate pause from routine obligations to think, learn, and create. In an era of accelerating demands on academic scientists and medical researchers, the sabbatical is not a luxury. It is the engine that keeps discovery and innovation alive.

Doulas and Behavioral Medicine: Supporting Health Across the Perinatal Period

For the past nine decades, the maternal mortality rate for Black birthing people has exceeded the rate for White, non-Hispanic individuals by as much as threefold.Black birthing people have long been subjected to mistreatment in labor and delivery, with many clinicians downplaying and dismissing their preferences and concerns.

Building Your Team to Broaden Your Funding: Leveraging SBM Resources to assemble a multidisciplinary team to secure diverse streams of funding

The current research funding climate presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges for behavioral medicine scientists. Federal funding remains highly competitive, paylines are often uncertain, and many investigators face pressure to demonstrate interdisciplinary impact, community engagement, dissemination potential, and translational relevance.