International Weight Stigma Conference

In 2025, the International Weight Stigma Conference will be held in Australia for the first time, at Griffith University on the gorgeous Gold Coast, Country of the Kombumerri People of the Yugambeh language region – where winter temperatures in July average highs of 21°C and lows of 11°C and the sun is almost guaranteed to shine every day. The conference will also be held online. 

The Annual International Weight Stigma Conference is an inter-disciplinary event that brings together scholars and practitioners from a range of backgrounds (e.g., public health, government and public policy, psychology, medicine, bioethics, sociology, anthropology, allied health professions, education, sports and exercise science, social sciences, media studies, business, law, activism, and the lay public) to consider research, policy, rhetoric, and practice around the issue of weight stigma.

This year’s theme “From weight stigma to weight inclusiveness and liberation” highlights the importance of moving beyond studies that demonstrate the extent of the issue, to work that demonstrates how to address and effectively mitigate the issue. By offering a space for learning, collaboration, and action, the conference aims to contribute to the dismantling of weight stigma and the enhancement of weight inclusive and liberatory practices, thereby fostering a more equitable, just, and inclusive society.

Call for Abstracts

We are now accepting abstracts for oral presentations and posters, as well as conference session proposals including brief symposia, round tables, debates, and workshops. We are also interested in non-traditional submissions (e.g., media, performance, art). The two-day interdisciplinary programme will cover the entire weight stigma spectrum, from foundational research through to implementation research, practice, policy, and activism, and feature an outstanding roster of international speakers and local experts.

We invite contributions across a wide range of disciplines and methodological and theoretical approaches. Intersectional approaches and perspectives from other groups with unequal access to power and privilege are especially welcome. We encourage submissions from scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and activists. Students are especially encouraged to submit proposals.

Deadline for oral and conference session abstracts: 23 February 2025.

Visit the abstract submission page for more information.

Please feel free to distribute this call for abstracts to colleagues and networks.