Weight Stigma Towards Preconception, Pregnant, and Postpartum Women from Community Members’ Perspectives: Nature, Drivers, and Opportunities for Intervention

Weight stigma towards women before, during, and after pregnancy (PPP) is associated with negative health outcomes. While most weight stigma comes from community members, little is known how and why it happens. This thesis examines how community members contribute to weight stigma against PPP women and ways to reduce it. Findings show that weight stigma is pervasive, rooted in beliefs that weight is fully controllable and high value placed on women’s weight. By providing a detailed understanding of weight stigma and strategies to tackle it, this thesis contributes to improving the health and wellbeing of PPP women and their children.