Texas Monthly Features Carolyn Becker on San Antonio's Hidden Population and Unmet Neets
Becker's research spotlights marginalized groups often left out of traditional eating disorder studies, calling for more inclusive treatments
Carolyn Becker, Ph.D., a Trinity University professor of psychology, was featured in Texas Monthly for her research at the San Antonio Food Bank. Becker conducted this research with Trinity alumna and UT Health San Antonio researcher Lisa Smith Kilpela '04, Ph.D. Their research concludes that eating disorders are far more common among food-insecure populations than previously recognized.
Becker and Smith Kilpela found that nearly one in five food bank clients met the clinical criteria for an eating disorder, about double the national average. They found that food scarcity, economic hardship, and internalized weight stigma were key drivers, creating cycles of shame, guilt, and disordered eating even when food was available.
Ultimately, the research calls for more inclusive treatment approaches and highlights how food insecurity and eating disorders are interconnected public health issues.
Note: Texas Monthly is a paywalled publication; however, readers may be allowed a one-time story access.
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