Australian community members’ perceptions of women’s body weight, societal norms and weight stigma towards preconception, pregnant, and postpartum women: A qualitative study

The preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum (PPP) periods represent a distinct life phase where women are particularly vulnerable to weight stigmatisation. While community members are often the primary source of weight stigma, little is known about their perspectives. This study aimed to explore community members' perceptions of women's body weight during the PPP periods, focussing on weight stigma and societal norms. We undertook 20 semi-structured interviews with community members residing in Australia. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Two main themes were identified: (1) s<i>ocietal value structures around PPP weight</i> were evident with high value and continuous surveillance placed on women's weight; and (2) <i>conflicting discourse relating to PPP women's body size</i> was present with participants holding contradictory but simultaneous beliefs regarding women's weight. Our findings provide valuable insights into specific social norms and beliefs that perpetuate weight stigma towards PPP women.