The appearance pressures experienced by fashion models have been criticized as harmful to their health, as well as increasing eating disorder risk among youth by promoting ideals of extreme thinness. Given recent legislation to protect models, we undertook a strategic science study to assess professional fashion models' perceptions of the potential impact and feasibility of seven policy proposals. A sample of 85 female fashion models, mean age = 22.7 years (SD 3.7) completed an online survey assessing unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCB), perceived pressure from agencies to lose weight, as well as the perceived impact and feasibility of seven potential policy actions. Chi-squared analyses and multivariable logistic regressions compared UWCB among models who were asked to lose weight and those who were not. Friedman and Kendall's W tests were conducted to examine differences in impact and feasibility ratings across the seven policy proposals. Models reported high levels of pressure to lose weight, which was associated with higher odds of engaging in UWCB. The policy approaches rated as most impactful were those to increase worker protections, though they were rated as only moderately feasible. Requiring employers to provide food and a 30-min break for jobs longer than 6 h was rated as both impactful and feasible. Imposing restrictions on minimum BMI was rated as the least impactful. Approaches providing employment protections and healthier working conditions are most supported by professional models. These findings help to illuminate viable policy approaches from the perspective of key stakeholders.

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Objectives: Limited research exists examining the association of maternal weight-, shape-, and size-related criticism with disordered eating pathology across racial and ethnic groups. Method: The sample consisted of 392 undergraduate females and 368 undergraduate males for a total of 760 individuals. Disordered eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and maternal criticism were assessed in 484 White, 134 Latinx, and 142 Asian American undergraduates. Hierarchical regression, correlation, and t-test analyses were conducted for each ethnic group. Results: Among all three groups, body dissatisfaction, maternal criticism, and gender were significantly associated with disordered eating pathology. In addition, disordered eating and maternal criticism were greater among female undergraduates than among male undergraduates across all groups. However, body dissatisfaction did not differ significantly between female and male undergraduates in any of the three racial and ethnic groups. Findings from this study suggest that individual body dissatisfaction and maternal criticism may be differentially linked with disordered eating pathology across racial and ethnic groups. Among Whites and Latinx, body dissatisfaction was more strongly associated with disordered eating pathology than was perceived maternal criticism. However, among Asian Americans, perceived maternal criticism was more strongly associated with disordered eating pathology than was body dissatisfaction. Conclusions: Maternal criticism was the most saliently linked with disordered eating pathology among Asian Americans. Findings from this study speak to individual and familial factors impacting disordered eating across racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, this study highlights the potential role of culture on disordered eating, particularly self-construal and collectivistic and individualistic orientations.

Experiencing eating disorder symptoms is associated with maladaptive outcomes and impairment in functioning. A paucity of research exists examining eating disorder symptoms among ethnic/racial minority women. Using a network analysis, we evaluated core symptoms of eating disorder psychopathology and the degree of association between eating disorder symptoms in a sample of ethnic/racial minority women. Participants were 296 Black, 261 Hispanic, and 261 Asian American women recruited across the United States to complete an online survey. Inclusionary criteria yielded a sample with high eating disorder psychopathology. The Network Comparison Test was used to identify differences in networks between groups and yielded no significant differences between the three ethnic/racial groups. Thus, one network analysis on the entire sample was conducted in the main analyses. However, separate group analyses are presented in the online supplemental materials. Consistent with the transdiagnostic theory of eating disorders, weight concerns (i.e., strong desire to lose weight and fear of weight gain) emerged as central symptoms. Discrepant from findings with predominantly White samples, purging emerged as a central symptom as well, while shape concerns did not. Interestingly, having to weigh oneself weekly, having a flat stomach, fasting, and compulsive exercising were on the periphery of the network. Findings are discussed in terms of clinical implications and comparative similarities and differences when addressing the existing literature.