Runway Model Health Standards

Despite decade-old promises, sample sizes remain vanishingly small, and agencies still pressure models into dangerous weight loss, with enforcement of health regulations toothless. In 2026, 78% of models reported being told to lose weight for castings, and the average runway sample fits only a BMI of 16.5—far below the healthy minimum of 18.5. This standard harms talent more directly than #8's intellectual property theft, with the industry 40% slower than the average of other creative sectors in adopting body-positive standards, perpetuating cycles of eating disorders.