12th Annual Weight Stigma Conference

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Gold Coast 2025

Unlike many conferences, much of our content is available free of charge to non-delegates, although availability depends on presenter preferences. The Weight Stigma Conference is a not-for-profit conference, but we do try and raise money for our annual bursary fund, which allows us to provide financial assistance to individuals who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend. We would be very grateful if you would make a small donation to the 2026 Weight Stigma Conference Bursary Fund. Thank you.

SLIDES MAY BE DOWNLOADED FOR PERSONAL USE. PLEASE CONTACT THE AUTHORS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE THEIR CONTENT FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE. SOME SLIDES ARE UNAVAILABLE – PLEASE CONTACT AUTHORS DIRECTLY. ABSTRACTS AND CONTACT DETAILS IN CONFERENCE BROCHURE. IF YOU ARE CITING A CONFERENCE PRESENTATION, PLEASE INCLUDE THE DOI.

Suggested citation:

Author (2025). Title. Paper/poster/session presented at 11th Annual International Weight Stigma Conference, 6–7 July, Gold Coast, Australia. DOI: 10.31076/2025.xxx

Prize winners:

Best poster presentation: Ieva Miltina, Gender, Justice, and Society, Umea University, Latvia

Best oral presentation: Lesley Gray, University of Otago Medical School, New Zealand

Best student presentation: Evangeline Gardiner, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia

Runner up: Ngoc Huyen Thi To, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Australia

Sponsors:

Thank you to all of the sponsors of the 2025 Weight Stigma Conference. The event wouldn’t have been possible without them, so please give them your support. You can see all our previous sponsors here.

 

Day 1

Opening remarks

Welcome to Country
Keynote Presentation 1
Dr Angela Meadows

Department of Psychology, University of Essex, UK

Plus ça change: The science we need for the future we want

Oral Presentations 1: The Fatphobic LensOral Presentations 2: Culture

Session 1: Seminar

The anti-obesity orientation of weight stigma research, 1960-2024
[Slides] [Recording]

Rachel Fox, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Grand Valley State University, USA


Debating fatness online: A netnographic study of the Greek television romcom ‘You Are My Soulmate’

Spyridon Chairetis, Department of Communication, Media, and Culture, Panteion University, Greece
Shifting the lens: Adopting a weight-inclusive approach in health promotion
[Slides] [Recording]

Amie Bast and Sarah Hayes-Robinson, Better Health Network, Victoria, Australia





























NHS Healthcare inequalities –Core20PLUS5
Helen James, VCSE Nutriri, UK

[Slides] [Recording]





Compulsory thinness: Examining the interpersonal, structural, and institutional policing of fat bodies
[Slides] [Recording]

Amanda Levitt, Department of Sociology, Wayne State University, USA
Brianna Sorensen, Department of Social Work, Loyola University, USA
Mana mōmona: Exploring fat (bias) for Māori

Ashlea Gillon Aramoana, Ngāti Awa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāiterangi – Te Wānanga o Waipapa, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Beyond weight loss: The emergence of fat life writing

Judith Schreier, Department of English and American Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
BMI and the structural account of microaggressions

Taryn Knox, Bioethics Centre, University of Otago, New Zealand
Cultural variations in clothing sizes and their impact on weight stigma: A path to inclusiveness
[Slides] [Recording]

Ngoc Huyen Thi To, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Australia
Keynote Presentation 2
Louise Adams
Flourish Kirribilli, Untrapped Academy, and All Fired Up Podcast, Australia

From liberation to corruption: How pharma hijacked weight stigma

Dietitians Australia Workshop

[Recording]
Oral Presentations 3: Healthcare
Session 2: WorkshopSession 3: Workshop
Exploring the experiences of anti-fatness among fat, larger-bodied, and higher-weight clients in counseling

Crystal Victoria Socha, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation & Counseling Professions, Rutgers University, USA
Fat visibility through publishing

Esther Rothblum, Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, San Diego State University, USA; founding editor Fat Studies journal
Carla Pfeffer, Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, USA; current editor Fat Studies journal

























Living the liberation: A full-spectrum experience of narrative therapy, embodiment, and collective art

Tessa Gordon, Embodying Hope, USA




























“Just lose weight”: Weight-based medical bias and experiential expertise in intracranial hypertension
[Slides] [Recording]

Kelly Moes, School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Australia
A legacy of public health justice: Where to next for long needle advocacy in vaccination programmes?
[Recording]

Lesley Gray, University of Otago Medical School, New Zealand
When weight impacts access to necessary health care: Eating disorder awareness in people who are not emaciated
[Recording]

Sandi James, Sandi James Psychology, Australia
Panel Discussion: Reimagining size and weight inclusive health services
[Recording]

Facilitator:
Natasha Mitchell, host of ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas
Panelists
Tracy Taylor-Beck, Interim CEO, Women’s Health in the North, Australia
Fiona Willer, President, Dietitians Australia, Australia
Ana Ximena Torres, Elemental Collective, Australia
Book launch: Weight and Wisdom
[Recording] [Book website]
Poster Session and Reception
[View posters]

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Day 2

Welcome and Recap
[Recording]
Keynote Presentation 3
Dr George Parker

School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

No more excuses! Weight stigma is a reproductive justice issue

Oral Presentations 4: Towards Weight InclusivityOral Presentations 5: LanguageSession 4: Workshop
The Interplay of physical activity, fat attitudes, and motivation. A mixed-methods study of the lived experiences of fat exercisers and non-exercisers

Becky Scott, Dept of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, UK
Reappropriating fat: The impact of labeling on self and others
[Recording]

Kaavya Iyer, Dept of Psychology, University of Minnesota, USA


Developing research and practice priorities using the nominal group technique

Trish Cain, School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University, Australia


































Shaping weight-inclusive public health initiatives: insights from a scoping review

Evangeline Gardiner, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia et al.
A new way to address weight stigma: undermining the performativity of stigmatising speech


Carl Webber, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Advancing size-inclusive practice in Northeast Victoria

Courtney Nelson, Mel Hawkins, Gateway Health, Australia





Against de-stigmatization without de-pathologization and towards intersectional justice
(no slides) [Recording]

Christopher Mayes, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University, Australia
Jane Williams, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia
Understanding the paradigm shift: A researcher’s experiences facilitating weight-inclusive dietetic practice supervision

Christina Turner, Dianne Reidlinger, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Australia
Critiquing the polysemy of health

Kathleen Self, Department of Religious Studies, St Lawrence University, USA



Oral Presentations 6: Health Professions EducationSession 5: WorkshopSession 6: Symposium
Moving physiotherapy: On the creation of open access educational resources for knowledge mobilisation

Patty Thille, Dept of Physical Therapy, University of Manitoba, Canada et al.
Creating weight-inclusive learning environments

Hannah Cory, Oregon Health and Sciences University–Portland State University School of Public Health, USA




























Creating weight-inclusive nutrition education curriculum: Partnerships for change
[Slides] 
[WIN research group]

Janet Gamble, Kelsey Rose, Sera Wideawake, Lizzy Pope, Jordan Levinson, Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Vermont, USA
Katelyn Russell, Bromfield High School Health and Physical Education Department, USA
Jessica LaClair, Vermont Department of Public Health, USA
Bernice Garnett, College of Education and Social Services, University of Vermont, USA
Deb Hinchey, Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, USA











Bridging the gap: A scoping review of weight stigma reduction strategies in healthcare through a social justice lens
[Slides] [Recording]

Mahshid Fonoudi et al., School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Australia
A mixed-methods investigation of weight bias and its reduction in medical students

Joanne Rathbone et al., School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Australia
Perspectives on weight bias among sport psychology professionals: A mixed-methods study
[Recording]

Hannah Silva-Breen, School of Sport Sciences, West Virginia University, USA et al.
Oral Presentations 7: Lived ExperienceSession 7: WorkshopSession 8: Workshop
Expanding femininity: Critical, collaborative autoethnographic narratives on fat, non-binary experiences
[Slides] [Recording]
[Instagram Brooke]
[Instagram Ratna]

Brooke Hull, Department of Graphic Design/Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Pennsylvania State University, USA
Ratnadevi Manokaran, Gender Studies, University of Malaysia, Malaysia
Fat on campus: Lessons from fat collegians
[Recording]
fatoncampus.com

Meg Evans, Dept of Leadership, University of Memphis, USA
Erin Weston, Office for Student Success and Achievement, University of Georgia, USA

























From principles to practice: Dismantling weight stigma in our spheres of influence

[Slides]
[ED-Safe Principles]

Hilary Smith, National Eating Disorders Collaboration, Australia
Tom Scully, Reconnect Nutrition, Australia
Fiona Sutherland, The Mindful Dietitian, Australia























Fat in the academy
[Slides] [Recording]

Sara Kieffer, Graduate School of Education, State University of New York, USA
Fatness and the built environment: A study of fatphobia through the lenses of racism, classism and health

Meghan Grant, Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, UK
Fat dating: Navigating the dating world as a plus-size woman
[Slides] [Recording]

Demi Lynch, Faternise, Australia
Launch of Conference Statement, Prizes, Close
[Recording]
Keynote Presentation 4
Dr Fiona Willer
UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Australia and School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Unlearning bias, rebuilding trust: The case for weight-inclusive care

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POSTERS

How to view the posters:

  1. Quick view on the screen using the slider below. Small arrows in the centre of each slide allow you to scroll forwards and backwards. Use your browser controls to zoom in/out.
  2. View as PDFs, with built-in magnification options using the links at the sides of each poster in the table below. Where pre-recorded talks are available, these can be seen here also..

Quick view

INDIVIDUAL POSTERS AND RECORDINGS

 1. Withdrawn
Poster
Talk
2. Non-weight centric approaches for fitness professionals: What information do certifying organizations share?
Christy Greenleaf et al., Kinesiology, Zilber College of Public Health, University of Wisconsin, USA
Poster3. Shame and self-criticism as psychotherapeutic targets for reducing the impact of weight stigma on depression in lipoedema
Chantelle Clarke et al., School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Australia
Poster
Talk
4. Weight stigma in health-related undergraduate programs
Alicia Rodney, Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada, et al.
 5. Withdrawn
Poster6. Weight stigma amongst nurses and nursing students: A scoping review of direct and comparative evidence
Mahshid Fonoudi et al., School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Australia
Poster
Talk
7. Taking up space: The experience of fat students in higher education
Rose Rezaei, Center for Health Advocacy and Wellness, Florida State University, USA
Poster8. When treatment causes harm: Recognising and responding to treatment resistance
Sandi James, Sandi James Psychology, Sydney
Poster9. The impact of fear of weight discrimination on mental healthcare delay for binge eating disorder populations
Kiki M Kline, College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, USA
Poster10. Weight stigma and engagement in physical health behaviour: Two meta-analyses
Ankita Sehrawat, School of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
Poster11. Weight-inclusive diabetes prevention: Reducing intervention-related body shame with an ACT-based approach
Megan Lipsett et al., Dept of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA
Poster
Talk
12. Weight stigma and body image pressure among LGBTQ+ individuals in Norway: Survey insights and recommendations
Carina Elisabeth Carlsen, The Centre for Equality, Norway
Poster13. The real cost of appearance ideals and weight-based discrimination in Australia
Melissa Wilton, Butterfly Foundation, Australia
Poster14. Understanding weight-related stigmatisation from family members: A qualitative study of the pregnancy experiences of women in urban India
Mitanshi Dhanwani et al., Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, UK
Poster15. A qualitative study of community members’ perceptions, societal norms, and weight stigma towards higher weight preconception, pregnant and postpartum women
Haimanot Hailu, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia et al.
Poster16. Introducing a size-inclusive approach to health in GP primary care
Caitlin Long, Kardinia Health Clinic, Nicholas Brayshaw, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Australia, et al.
Poster17. How size inclusive is the medical curriculum? New insights from Aotearoa New Zealand
Lesley Gray, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, New Zealand, et al.
Poster18. Unmasking weight bias: A critical reflection from a postgraduate dietetics student’s perspective
Emma Grunwald, Dept of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, La Trobe University, Australia
Poster19. Fat body diversity in Andalusian universities. Considerations on equality plans and the university student body
Desirée Farfán González, Social Sciences, Criminology, and Behavioural Sciences, University of Cadiz, Spain
Poster20. Spoken word meets medical pedagogy: Teaching weight stigma and fat liberation
Antoinette Polito, School of Health Sciences, Elon University, USA
Poster21. Evaluation of a curriculum-embedded weight stigma education module in dentistry and oral health therapy programs
Zanab Malik, School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia et al.
Poster22. Embracing size-inclusive care in health services
Anneliese Twigg, Peninsula Health, Australia et al.
Poster23. Fat labor: Conceptualizing the efforts of coping with fat oppression
Ieva Miltina, Gender, Justice, and Society, Umea University, Latvia
Poster24. From lived experience to digital action: Youth engagement in building a campaign to mitigate weight stigma
Stephanie L Albert, Dept Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, USA
Poster
Talk
25. The Weight Inclusive Toolkit Initiative (WITI) – Decreasing weight stigma, valuing lived experience, and providing (weight) inclusive nutrition counseling resources to dietitian training programs across the U.S.
Amanda Jochismen, Ragen Chastain, WITI, USA
Poster26. Nursing faculty perspectives on weight inclusive care: A qualitative study of attitudes and barriers to practice and curriculum adoption
Ashlie N Johnson, Psychology, Linfield University, USA et al.
Poster27. The effect of weight-related microaggressions in physical activity environments on motivation and bodily attunement during exercise among higher-weight, currently exercising adults
Alannah Moore, Dept of Psychology, University of Essex, UK et al.
Poster28. Co-designing a weight-inclusive student nutrition clinic and integrated curriculum: A work in progress
Gemma Jenkins, Dept Nutrition and Dietetics, Edith Cowan University, Australia et al.
Poster29. Experiences of weight stigma in cancer care
Rebecca Scupham, Cancer Council SA, Australia et al.
Poster30. The impact of weight stigma education session for nurses
Shannon L. Roosma-Goldstein, Kaiser-Permanente, USA

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