Women living with obesity frequently experience weight stigma across interpersonal, social, healthcare, occupational, and media contexts, with consequences for psychological well-being, social relationships, identity, and health-related behaviours. Although research on obesity and weight stigma has expanded considerably, the development of knowledge concerning women's experiences remains fragmented across disciplines and time periods, making it difficult to understand how the field has evolved. This chronological literature review traces the evolution of research on women living with obesity and weight stigma by identifying major phases, patterns, and shifts in scholarly attention. We conducted a systematic advanced search in the Scopus database using the main keywords women, obesity, weight stigma, and chronological review, along with relevant search combinations and screening procedures. The search and selection process resulted in a final primary dataset of 46 publications (n = 46). We analysed the selected literature chronologically and grouped it into three developmental clusters. Phase 1, Emergence and Conceptual Exploration (2011–2017), reflects the early development of scholarship, emphasising the definition of weight stigma and its psychological and social consequences for women. Phase 2, Expansion and Interdisciplinary Consolidation (2018–2023), demonstrates broader research engagement and the integration of perspectives from psychology, sociology, communication, public health, and healthcare. Phase 3, Acceleration and Contemporary Visibility (2024–2026), indicates increasing scholarly attention to women's lived experiences, intersectional identities, digital environments, healthcare stigma, and strategies for resisting or coping with weight-based discrimination. Overall, the findings show a clear progression from conceptual exploration to more diverse, interdisciplinary, and experience-centred approaches. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the field's historical development. It highlights the ongoing need for research that centres women's voices, lived experiences, and social contexts in addressing weight stigma.
Alimoradi, Z., Golboni, F., Griffiths, M., Broström, A., Lin, C.-Y., & Pakpour, A. (2019). Weight-related stigma and psychological distress: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2019.10.016
Alperin, A., Hornsey, M. J., Hayward, L. E., Diedrichs, P. C., & Barlow, F. K. (2014). Applying the contact hypothesis to anti-fat attitudes: Contact with overweight people is related to how we interact with our bodies and those of others. Social Science & Medicine, 123, 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.051
Beccia, A. L., Baek, J., Austin, S. B., Jesdale, W. M., & Lapane, K. L. (2021). Eating-related pathology at the intersection of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and weight status: An intersectional Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA) of the Growing Up Today Study cohorts. Social Science & Medicine, 281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114092
Bespala, L., Meyerhoff, M., & Albury, C. (2026). Politeness strategies in doctor-patient communication on weight loss: Addressing face-threats in advice delivery. Social Science & Medicine, 401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119258
Brauhardt, A., Rudolph, A., & Hilbert, A. (2014). Implicit cognitive processes in binge-eating disorder and obesity. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 45(2), 285–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2014.01.001
Brewis, A. A., Hruschka, D. J., & Wutich, A. (2011). Vulnerability to fat-stigma in women’s everyday relationships. Social Science and Medicine, 73(4), 491–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.05.048
Brewis, A., Sturtz Sreetharan, C., & Wutich, A. (2018). Obesity stigma as a globalising health challenge. Globalisation and Health, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-018-0337-x
Ciciurkaite, G., & Perry, B. (2017). Body weight, perceived weight stigma and mental health among women at the intersection of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status: insights from the modified labelling approach. Sociology of Health & Illness, 40 (1), 18–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12619
Côté, M., Forouhar, V., Edache, I. Y., & Alberga, A. S. (2024). Weight bias among Canadians: Associations with sociodemographics, BMI and body image constructs. Social Science & Medicine, 354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117061
Elran-Barak, R., & Bar-Anan, Y. (2018). Implicit and explicit anti-fat bias: The role of weight-related attitudes and beliefs. Social Science & Medicine, 204, 117–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.018
Faragó, F., Savoy, S., Sanchez, E. A., Khaleghi, N., Evans, L., Adams, E. L., & Palomino, E. (2022). Gender Typicality, Pressure to Conform to Gender Norms, and Anti-Fat and Appearance Stereotypes in Girls. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 51(4), 2183–2198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02252-w
Farhangi, M., Emam-Alizadeh, M., Hamedi, F., & Jahangiry, L. (2017). Weight self-stigma and its association with quality of life and psychological distress among overweight and obese women. Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 22, 451–456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-016-0288-2
Ferdinands, A. R., McHugh, T.-L. F., Storey, K. E., & Raine, K. D. (2021). The ruling of weight: An institutional ethnography investigating young people’s body weight surveillance work. Social Science & Medicine, 289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114404
Forbes, Y., & Donovan, C. (2019). The role of internalised weight stigma and self-compassion in the psychological well-being of overweight and obese women. Australian Psychologist, 54(6), 471–482. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12407
Gerend, M. A., Stewart, C., & Wetzel, K. (2022). Vulnerability and resilience to the harmful health consequences of weight discrimination in Black, Latina, and sexual minority women. Social Science & Medicine, 315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115555
Golaszewski, N. M., Pasch, K. E., Fernandez, A., Poulos, N. S., Batanova, M., & Loukas, A. (2018). Perceived Weight Discrimination and School Connectedness Among Youth: Does Teacher Support Play a Protective Role? Journal of School Health, 88(10), 754–761. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12682
Greenleaf, C., Petrie, T. A., & Martin, S. B. (2014). Relationship of weight-based teasing and adolescents’ psychological well-being and physical health. Journal of School Health, 84(1), 49–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12118
Griffiths, S., Brennan, L., O’Gorman, B., Goedel, W. C., Sheffield, J., Bastian, B., & Barlow, F. K. (2018). Experiences of weightism among sexual minority men: Relationships with Body Mass Index, body dissatisfaction, and psychological quality of life. Social Science & Medicine, 214, 35–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.08.018
Hackman, J., Maupin, J., & Brewis, A. A. (2016). Weight-related stigma is a significant psychosocial stressor in developing countries: Evidence from Guatemala. Social Science & Medicine, 161, 55–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.05.032
Haqq, A. M., Kebbe, M., Tan, Q., Manco, M., & Salas, X. R. (2021). Complexity and Stigma of Pediatric Obesity. Childhood Obesity, 17(4), 229–240. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2021.0003
Harris, E. R., Hahn, S. L., & Jean Forney, K. (2025). The Unique Associations of Thin-Ideal Internalisation and Internalised Weight Stigma With Body Dissatisfaction Across Body Sizes. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 81(7), 577–582. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23793
Hill, B., Bergmeier, H., Incollingo Rodriguez, A. C., Barlow, F. K., Chung, A., Ramachandran, D., Savaglio, M., & Skouteris, H. (2021). Weight stigma and obesity-related policies: A systematic review of the state of the literature. In Obesity Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13333
Hill, I. F., Angrish, K., Nutter, S., Ramos-Salas, X., Minhas, H., & Nagpal, T. S. (2023). Exploring body dissatisfaction in pregnancy and the association with gestational weight gain, obesity, and weight stigma. Midwifery, 119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2023.103627
Huang, H., & Xiao, X. (2025). A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Combined Physical Activity and Attitude Education Intervention on Weight Stigma and Health Outcomes. Journal of School Health, 95(4–5), 341–348. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.70000
Hughes, A. M., & McArthur, D. (2023). Weight stigma, welfare stigma, and political values: Evidence from a representative British survey. Social Science & Medicine, 334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116172
Jach, ?., & Krysto?, S. (2021). Self-reported body weight and weight-related stigmatisation experiences among young adult women in two contexts, but similar attitudes related to body image, mental self-schemas, self-esteem, and stereotypes of people with obesity. PeerJ, 9. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12047
Kale, R., Harrop, E. N., Kelly, J. R., Sullivan, S. A., & Sonneville, K. R. (2025). Addressing Weight-Related Bullying in Schools: Youth Perspectives on School Policies and Interventions. Journal of School Health, 95(12), 1007–1016. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.70054
Kersbergen, I., & Robinson, E. (2018). Blatant Dehumanisation of People with Obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 27, 1005–1012. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22460
Lessard, L. M., & Puhl, R. M. (2021). Reducing Educators’ Weight Bias: The Role of School-Based Anti-Bullying Policies. Journal of School Health, 91(10), 796–801. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13068
Levy, B. R., & Pilver, C. E. (2012). Residual stigma: Psychological distress among the formerly overweight. Social Science & Medicine, 75(2), 297–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.03.007
Lewis, S., Thomas, S. L., Blood, R. W., Castle, D. J., Hyde, J., & Komesaroff, P. A. (2011). How do obese individuals perceive and respond to the different types of obesity stigma that they encounter in their daily lives? A qualitative study. Social Science and Medicine, 73(9), 1349–1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.08.021
Lin, C.-Y., Latner, J. D., Rozzell-Voss, K. N., Huang, P.-C., Tsai, Y.-C., Pakpour, A. H., & Weng, H.-C. (2024). Association of quality of life with internet use and weight stigma across individuals with obesity and those without obesity: Role of self-perception. Acta Psychologica, 244, 104203. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104203
Major, B., Eliezer, D., & Rieck, H. (2012). The Psychological Weight of Weight Stigma. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3, 651–658. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550611434400
Martin, S. B., Rhea, D. J., Greenleaf, C. A., Judd, D. E., & Chambliss, H. O. (2011). Weight Control Beliefs, Body Shape Attitudes, and Physical Activity Among Adolescents. Journal of School Health, 81(5), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00585.x
Naumann, E., & Svaldi, J. (2024). Effects of exposure to plus-size fashion models on weight-related attitudes in bulimia nervosa: Findings from an exploratory study. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2024.101976
Nehushtan, H. (2026). Worthy of thinness: Moral reasoning and bureaucratic care in a state-funded bariatric surgery committee. Social Science & Medicine, 391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118922
Nutter, S., Eggerichs, L., Nagpal, T., Ramos Salas, X., Chea, C. C., Saiful, S., Ralston, J., Barata-Cavalcanti, O., Batz, C., Baur, L., Birney, S., Bryant, S., Buse, K., Cardel, M., Chugh, A., Cuevas, A., Farmer, M., Ibrahim, A., Kataria, I., … Yusop, S. (2023). Changing the global obesity narrative to recognise and reduce weight stigma: A position statement from the World Obesity Federation. Obesity Reviews?: An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 25. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13642
Paine, E. A. (2021). “Fat broken arm syndrome”: Negotiating risk, stigma, and weight bias in LGBTQ healthcare. Social Science & Medicine, 270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113609
Peterson, J. L., Puhl, R. M., & Luedicke, J. (2012). An Experimental Assessment of Physical Educators’ Expectations and Attitudes: The Importance of Student Weight and Gender. Journal of School Health, 82(9), 432–440. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00719.x
Pudney, E. V., Himmelstein, M. S., Puhl, R. M., & Foster, G. D. (2020). Distressed or not distressed? A mixed-methods examination of reactions to weight stigma and implications for emotional well-being and internalised weight bias. Social Science & Medicine, 249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112854
Puhl, R., & Heuer, C. (2010). Obesity stigma: important considerations for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (6), 1019–1028. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2009.159491
Puhl, R. M., Luedicke, J., & Heuer, C. (2011). Weight-based victimisation toward overweight adolescents: Observations and reactions of peers. Journal of School Health, 81(11), 696–703. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00646.x
Raffoul, A., Beccia, A. L., Jackson, D. A., Sarda, V., Hart, J. E., Chavarro, J. E., & Austin, S. B. (2023). Associations between weight discrimination and the use of potentially harmful dietary supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Social Science & Medicine, 335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116232
Ringel, M. M., & Ditto, P. H. (2019). The moralization of obesity. Social Science & Medicine, 237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112399
Rodriguez, A. I., Schetter, D., Brewis, A., & Tomiyama, A. (2019). The psychological burden of baby weight: Pregnancy, weight stigma, and maternal health. Social Science & Medicine, 235, 112401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112401
Rubino, F., Puhl, R. M., Cummings, D. E., Eckel, R. H., Ryan, D. H., Mechanick, J. I., Nadglowski, J., Ramos Salas, X., Schauer, P. R., Twenefour, D., Apovian, C. M., Aronne, L. J., Batterham, R. L., Berthoud, H.-R., Boza, C., Busetto, L., Dicker, D., De Groot, M., Eisenberg, D., … Dixon, J. B. (2020). Joint international consensus statement for ending stigma of obesity. Nature Medicine, 26(4), 485–497. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0803-x
Ruckwongpatr, K., Su, J.-A., Chen, I.-H., Bevan, N., Nurmala, I., Muthmainnah, M., Salim, L. A., Nadia, A., Aljaberi, M. A., Griffiths, M. D., & Lin, C.-Y. (2025). Bahasa Indonesia version of Weight Stigma Exposure Inventory (WeSEI): Translation and validation among young adults. Acta Psychologica, 261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105748
Scagliusi, F. B., Ulian, M. D., Gualano, B., Roble, O. J., Unsain, R. F., Carriero, M. R., Sato, P. M., Sturtz Sreetharan, C., Brewis, A., & Wutich, A. (2020). Before I saw a gas canister, now I see a person: post-obesity intervention, body acceptance and responses to weight stigma among urban Brazilian gorda women. Human Organisation, 79(3), 176–191. https://doi.org/10.17730/1938-3525-79.3.176
Simone, M., Hooper, L., Eisenberg, M. E., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2019). Unhealthy weight control behaviours and substance use among adolescent girls: The harms of weight stigma. Social Science & Medicine, 233, 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.05.047
Smith, E. K., & Harrop, E. N. (2024). “That is not at all what I needed”: trans adults’ perspectives on trans-affirming primary care and eating disorders. Social Science & Medicine, 348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116836
Spratt, T. J. R. (2021). Understanding ‘fat shaming’ in a neoliberal era: Performativity, healthism and the UK’s ‘obesity epidemic.’ Feminist Theory, 24, 86–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/14647001211048300
Standen, E. C., Rothman, A. J., & Mann, T. (2024). Consequences of receiving weight-related advice from a healthcare provider: Understanding the varied experiences of people with higher weight. Social Science & Medicine, 347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116784
Swami, V., & Monk, R. (2013). Weight Bias Against Women in a University Acceptance Scenario. Journal of General Psychology, 140(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.2012.726288
?wider, K., Baska, A., Babicki, M., Mastalerz-Migas, A., & K?oda, K. (2023). Weight stigma and fat phobia in Poland – attitudes towards people living with obesity and the level of knowledge about obesity among social media internet respondents and medical professionals. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1287783
Timkova, V., Mikula, P., & Nagyova, I. (2025). Psychosocial distress in people with overweight and obesity: the role of weight stigma and social support. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1474844
Tomiyama, A. J., Carr, D., Granberg, E. M., Major, B., Robinson, E., Sutin, A. R., & Brewis, A. (2018). How and why weight stigma drives the obesity “epidemic” and harms health. BMC Medicine, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1116-5
Westbury, S., Oyebode, O., van Rens, T., & Barber, T. M. (2023). Obesity Stigma: Causes, Consequences, and Potential Solutions. In Current Obesity Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-023-00495-3
Wetzel, K. E., Himmelstein, M. S., & Ciesla, J. A. (2025). Bracing for impact: An intensive longitudinal investigation of weight stigma, vigilant coping, and maladaptive eating. Social Science & Medicine, 371, 117904. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117904
Wu, H. X., Chen, T. T., Ching, B. H. H., Li, X. Y., & Li, Y. H. (2024). Weight stigma from romantic partners: Its relations with maladaptive and adaptive coping and depressive symptoms. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 65(2), 157–167. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12965
Wu, W., & Zhou, H. (2017). Data-driven diagnosis of cervical cancer with support vector machine-based approaches. IEEE Access, 5, 25189–25195. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2017.2763984
Wu, Y.-K., & Berry, D. (2018). Impact of weight stigma on physiological and psychological health outcomes for overweight and obese adults: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74, 1030. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13511
Young, R., Subramanian, R., & Hinnant, A. (2016). Stigmatising images in Obesity Health Campaign Messages and Healthy Behavioural Intentions. Health Education & Behaviour, 43(4), 412–419. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198115604624
Ahmad, A., Bolong, J., & Kamarudin, S. (2026). Women Living with Obesity and Weight Stigma: A Chronological Review. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 16(9), 1073-1087.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
