Part of gendered health promotion is exploring how health messages can be shaped by social norms and expectations. This case study highlights the importance of creating inclusive approaches that celebrate diverse body types and support wellbeing for people of all sizes and abilities.
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Women’s Health Goulburn North East, in partnership with Gateway Health and regional stakeholders, implemented a Size Inclusive Practice initiative aimed at strengthening health promotion approaches that are accessible, respectful, and inclusive of people of all body sizes and abilities.
The project applied Health at Any Size–aligned principles, shifting the focus away from weight‑based assessments toward health‑enhancing behaviours, respectful engagement, and person‑centred care. This approach aligns with Victorian policy priorities that promote safe, inclusive, and non‑discriminatory environments across health and community settings
Victorian health and prevention frameworks emphasise equity, access, prevention, and inclusive systems of care, recognising that health outcomes are shaped by social, structural, and systemic determinants. People with disabilities—particularly women and gender‑diverse people—continue to experience disproportionate barriers within health services, including stigma, exclusion, and reduced autonomy.
Size‑exclusive health models, which frame body weight as a primary indicator of health, can unintentionally reinforce these inequities. For people with disabilities, such approaches intersect with ableism and contribute to experiences of judgement, disengagement from care, and poorer wellbeing outcomes. The Size Inclusive Practice project responds to this challenge by embedding inclusion, dignity, and respect within health promotion and service delivery
Disability inclusion was embedded through explicit recognition of people with disabilities as a priority population affected by size stigma and exclusion in health systems. Education sessions engaged health professionals and community members in critically examining how dominant health narratives can marginalise people with disabilities and undermine equitable access to care.
The initiative supported practitioners to reflect on their own practices, challenge assumptions about bodies and health, and adopt approaches consistent with rights‑based, trauma‑informed, and inclusive practice principles, supporting safer and more responsive services for people with disabilities.
Evaluation findings demonstrated increased understanding and confidence among health professionals in applying size‑inclusive principles in their roles. Importantly, evaluation documentation explicitly acknowledges people with disabilities within broader inclusion commitments, reinforcing the project’s contribution to system‑level change rather than individual behaviour modification alone.
By strengthening workforce capability and community expectations around respectful care, the project contributes to Victorian priorities to reduce health inequities, promote prevention, and improve experiences of care for people with disabilities across regional settings.
This work complements wider Victorian initiatives aimed at strengthening disability‑inclusive practice within health services, including organisational audits and tools designed to address structural barriers for women and gender‑diverse people with disabilities. Together, these efforts demonstrate how practice‑level interventions can support broader system transformation in line with state policy directions.
- Size‑inclusive practice supports Victorian equity and inclusion objectives by reducing stigma and improving access for people with disabilities.
- Explicitly embedding disability inclusion within health promotion strengthens alignment with rights‑based and prevention‑focused policy frameworks.
- Workforce development is a critical lever for achieving sustainable, system‑level change.