9 out of 10 Doctors and Fashionistas Agree...

According to our survey, both fashion and health professionals rated yearly exams including eating disorders assessments as the most effective way to protect the health of models.

Remember last New York Fashion Week when the CFDA Health Initiative panel discussion was the hottest event in the tents? There is less buzz about the too-skinnies this season (maybe because some of them couldn't get work visas?), but we want to make sure this issue doesn't slip off the radar.

To keep the discussions moving forward, we conducted an online survey and asked our fashion and health colleagues this question: "What do you think about the following recommendations that have been proposed to protect the health of models?" We got 234 responses from a sample that included models, agents, designers, editors, writers, creative directors, hair stylists, makeup artists, photographers, publishers, publicists, medical doctors, eating disorder experts, nutritionists, and mental health professionals. Here's how the two groups rated the various recommendations:

Fashion and Beauty Professionals
1. Yearly exams including eating disorder assessments for models
(66% said "likely to be effective"; 22% said "might be effective")

2. Require models identified as having eating disorders to seek professional help*
(59% said likely to be effective; 34% said might be effective)

3. Weight/body mass index guidelines for models
(54% said likely to be effective; 20% said might be effective)

4. Industry-wide education and awareness programs*
(51% said likely to be effective; 37% said might be effective)

5. Age guidelines for models*
(42% said likely to be effective; 32% said might be effective)

6. Regular breaks and rest for models
(42% said likely to be effective; 29% said might be effective)

7. Healthy food and snacks at fashion shows*
(32% said likely to be effective; 37% said might be effective)

8. Ban on smoking at fashion shows*
(49% said unlikely to be effective; 22% said might be effective)

9. Ban on alcohol at fashion shows*
(54% said unlikely to be effective; 29% said might be effective)


Health Professionals
1. Yearly exams including eating disorder assessments for models
(62% said "likely to be effective"; 28% said "might be effective")

2. Weight/body mass index guidelines for models
(55% said likely to be effective; 40% said might be effective)

3. Industry-wide education and awareness programs*
(55% said likely to be effective; 34% said might be effective)

4. Require models identified as having eating disorders to seek professional help*
(50% said likely to be effective; 42% said might be effective)

5. Age guidelines for models*
(40% said likely to be effective; 42% said might be effective)

6. Regular breaks and rest for models
(37% said likely to be effective; 47% said might be effective)

7. Ban on smoking at fashion shows*
(37% said likely to be effective; 33% said might be effective)

8. Healthy food and snacks at fashion shows*
(25% said likely to be effective; 43% said might be effective)

9. Ban on alcohol at fashion shows*
(38% said might be effective; 33% said unlikely to be effective)

*included in the CFDA Health Initiative Guidelines

If annual check-ups and eating disorder screenings got the highest marks all around, why aren't models required to get a clean bill of health before working? Mandatory health exams are not unheard of in other industries, but the larger-than-sample-sized elephant on the runway here is the question of how these exams would be regulated and paid for when there is no structure of accountability or union to protect the fashion worker bees. Yep, we said the "u" word.

And speaking of unions, Magali happens to be a member of one you might have heard of. It's called SAG. Here is her model/actress comparison of working conditions, rights, regulations, and benefits in the fashion and film worlds.