Occupational Consequences of Workplace Weight Stigma: A Gender-Sensitive Systematic Review of Workers and Job Applicants

Abstract

Workplace weight stigma is a form of discrimination affecting equality, health, and careers, yet occupational research remains fragmented. This gender-sensitive systematic review synthesizes evidence on workplace weight stigma among adult workers and job applicants since 2000. Following PRISMA procedures, we searched psychological, medical, sociological, and economic databases, identifying 25 included studies examining work outcomes. The corpus includes experimental vignette and correspondence studies, surveys, and qualitative designs, predominantly from high-income Western countries. Higher body weight is consistently associated with disadvantages across the employment life cycle: reduced callbacks and hiring, lower wages and wage growth, fewer promotions, and negative performance evaluations. Penalties are systematically stronger for women; intersectional analyses remain rare. Weight-based teasing, unfair treatment, and stereotype threat are linked to poorer self-rated health, psychological distress, burnout, reduced work ability, lower job satisfaction and commitment, and stronger turnover intentions. Organizational-level evidence is indirect but suggests detrimental effects on engagement and citizenship behaviors. Findings support conceptualizing workplace weight stigma as both a psychosocial hazard and a structural driver of labor-market inequality, underscoring the need for size-inclusive HR practices, leadership, and occupational risk-prevention policies.