Lay summary
Fat bias is pervasive in healthcare and has life threatening implications for fat people, particularly for fat Māori who must navigate multiple systems of oppression. Fat bias and healthism often perpetuate ideas that fatness is a punishable moral failing that must result in ill-health and dis-ease. Anti-fat bias reinforces the importance of ensuring that individuals' (perceived) health status does not impede access to healthcare. Much like racism as a system of oppression, fat bias operates in these institutional ways by restricting access to wellness and healthcare opportunities inhibiting rights. In challenging fat bias, questions such as ‘what role do fat stigma and oppression play as a social determinant of health?’ are important in seeking equity. When compounded these systems of oppression result in fat Māori being restricted and denied access to healthcare (appointments, diagnostics, treatments, options), positive health experiences and having our mana (over our bodies) recognised.