Nurses’ and Nursing Students’ Perceptions Toward People Living in Larger Bodies: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Weight bias among healthcare professionals contributes to inequitable care for people living in larger bodies (PLLB). Nurses play a crucial role in perpetuating or challenging this stigma. Yet, little is known about how this issue has been conceptualized, studied, and addressed within nursing research. Objectives: This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive and structured synthesis of the peer-reviewed literature on weight bias among nurses and nursing students, identifying conceptual, temporal, and geographical trends and highlighting persistent gaps to inform future research and training initiatives. Method: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR standards, we searched PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for empirical studies published between January 1, 2005, and June 10, 2025. Eligible studies explored nurses’ or nursing students’ perceptions toward PLLB. Two reviewers working independently screened studies and extracted data related to study design, context, conceptual focus, theoretical grounding, key findings, and identified research gaps. Results: A total of 34 studies were included. Most were cross-sectional, quantitative, and conducted in the United States. Concepts were grouped into 6 domains, with self-reported perceptions being most frequently assessed. The majority reported negative perceptions. Few studies used theoretical frameworks, and only 1 was grounded in nursing theory. Interventions were limited and often lacked long-term evaluation. Geographical representation was uneven, with no Canadian studies identified. Discussion and Conclusion: This review highlights persistent bias and fragmented research. Future studies must adopt theory-informed, methodologically diverse, and geographically inclusive approaches. Embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion principles is essential to foster stigma reduction and improve care for PLLB.