The Fashion Industry
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other related eating disorders are serious mental disorders. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Eating disorders affect the physical, psychological, and social well-being of millions of people of all ages and their families. The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) calls upon the fashion and beauty industries to protect the health and well-being of young workers.
The AED recommends the following:
- The AED urges the fashion industry to institute regular, yearly medical evaluations and developmentally-appropriate medical and psychological screening and assessments for all models.
- The AED is prepared to make developmentally appropriate eating disorders assessment readily available to models and referring physicians.
- The AED appeals to the fashion and beauty industries to follow the Guidelines for the Fashion Industry, as developed and published by the Academy for Eating Disorders, on January 9, 2007. The primary goal of these guidelines is to preserve the health and well-being of models worldwide.
- The AED will work with major eating disorder and health organizations, to collaborate with and support the fashion and beauty industries in their efforts to safeguard the health of young workers, to detect eating disorders, and provide appropriate referrals when needed.
- The AED, as the premier international organization of professionals in the field of eating disorders, is committed to assisting the fashion industry in developing and implementing effective measures to improve workplace conditions and ensure the health and well-being of every young woman and man in the fashion and beauty industries.