Women Living with Obesity and Weight Stigma: A Chronological Review

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.