Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40204355›Full record

ReviewHealth promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals2025

Applying a Weight Stigma Lens to Australian and International Obesity-Related Policies for Women Across the Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum Periods: A Mapping Review.

Briony Hill, Helia Khalesi, Chloe Tran, Helen Skouteris, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Jacqueline Boyle, Angela C Incollingo Rodriguez, Jane Martin, Lucie Rychetnik

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Briony HillHealth and Social Care Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4993-3963
Helia KhalesiHealth and Social Care Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2656-1726
Chloe TranHealth and Social Care Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5886-1696
Helen SkouterisHealth and Social Care Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9959-5750
Matthew Fuller-TyszkiewiczSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1145-6057
Jacqueline BoyleEastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3616-1637
Angela C Incollingo RodriguezWorcester Polytechnic Institute, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Department of Social Science and Policy Studies, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1609-4163
Jane MartinFood for Health Alliance, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9132-0928
Lucie RychetnikMenzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6855-2897

Funding

Australian Research Council DE230100704Australian Research Council DP220101107
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

issue addressedWeight stigma significantly affects preconception, pregnant and postpartum (PPP) women. Existing policies and guidelines do not adequately address weight stigma and may inadvertently contribute to it. This mapping review aimed to identify gaps in addressing weight stigma in current Australian and international obesity-related policies relevant to PPP women.

methodsWe conducted a mapping review of Australian state-based and national and international obesity-related policies relevant to PPP women through government websites and guideline databases. Policy screening and data extraction followed three frameworks (Attribution Theory; Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework; Framework for Policy Mobilisation). Analyses were stratified by the policy's direct or indirect relevance to PPP women, and Australian and international policies were compared. Strength and gaps in relation to weight stigma were identified.

resultsForty-one Australian and 18 international policies were included. Ten (24%) Australian policies explicitly mentioned weight stigma and 13 (31%) met criteria for potentially blaming people for their weight or body size. Acknowledgement of drivers and impacts of weight stigma and adequate mobilisation plans were scarce. Findings were consistent across state and national Australian policies, PPP populations and international comparisons. Strengths of policies comprehensively addressing weight stigma were incorporating lived experience consumers' voices and acknowledging obesity's complex and multifactorial nature. Potential improvements included focussing on nonstigmatising language and discourse.

conclusionsWeight stigma is rarely recognised or not adequately addressed in obesity-related policies for PPP women. SO WHAT?: Eliminating weight stigma in policies can improve public narratives around obesity, clinical practice and reproductive-aged women's experiences and outcomes.

Indexed as

Health PolicyObesityPostpartum PeriodSocial StigmaAustraliaFemaleHumansPregnancyguidelineobesitypolicypostpartumpreconception carepregnancyweight stigma

Identifiers

PMID40204355
PMCPMC11981819

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.