Disordered eating behaviors and sexual objectification during New York fashion week: Implementation of industry policies and legislation

Objective The working conditions of professional fashion models may place them at risk for negative outcomes including disordered eating. New policies in the United States and France, including providing private changing areas and requiring medical certificates, have been implemented to protect models from pressures to be extremely thin and sexual harassment. This study evaluated the implementation of the new policies during the week of New York Fashion Week, February 2018 (NYFW Fall'18). Method A sample of 76 fashion models (87% female) aged over 18 years who had participated in NYFW Fall'18 completed an online survey, reporting on behaviors and experiences occurring during NYFW Fall'18. Results A large proportion of respondents reported unhealthy weight control behaviors, including skipping meals (54%), intravenous drips (39%), and self-induced vomiting (25%). Fewer than half reported being always or sometimes provided with a private changing area, with 45% reporting experiencing lack of privacy when changing. A subset (n = 15) had obtained a health certificate for events in Paris. Most health providers had assessed weight, but few assessed eating and exercise behaviors. Discussion Policy interventions to improve health and safety of models are not yet achieving intended goals and require continued monitoring.