Lay summary
Bias against individuals with a higher weight remains socially acceptable and is rarely challenged, even in healthcare settings. This compounds ethnicity and gender discrimination that also prevails despite being unlawful in New Zealand workplaces. There is increasing recognition of how weight stigma and bias profoundly impacts people, with a systematic review showing a positive association with increased diabetes risk, inflammatory markers, anxiety, depression, and disordered eating. Furthermore, weight bias amongst healthcare professionals impacts the quality of healthcare provided to higher weight individuals. Prevalence of high body weight amongst Pacific women puts them at particular risk of harm resulting from these intersecting biases. This study will investigate the extent and impact of weight bias and stigma experienced by Pacific women, to inform the design of further research investigating novel weight-neutral approaches to healthcare delivery. This research is needed to help address systemic and persistent health inequities faced by Pacific people.