The “Velform Mini Waist” promises to help women get “that sexy, tiny waist, so small you’ll be everyone’s envy”. The Advertising Standards Authority, which regulates all advertising in the UK, has today ruled that the waist trainer “encouraged unhealthy body perceptions”. In particular, it found that “it was irresponsible to imply that a very small waist should be aspired to and that all women should aim for that figure.”

Chromotion, which manufactures the product, got a slap on the wrist for “implying that all women should aspire to a certain figure”. Despite this, the waist trainer is still available widely to buy online. Although the English-language version of the advert has been taken off YouTube, you can check out some German models (who definitely don’t need to wear corsets) modelling the trainer below.

We interviewed Tam Fry, spokesperson for the National Obesity Forum, to find out whether waist trainers even work. “In my opinion, waist trainers are a waste of time. Although they might work for cosmetic purposes, they won’t get to the heart of the matter. If you want to lose weight you need to eat less and exercise more. Trussing yourself up in a corset can also be dangerous, as restricting your body movements can have health implications”.

The growing industry for waist trainers capitalises on the success of social media platforms such as Instagram, which have been accused of encouraging “body shaming”. Waist trainers –essentially corsets, rebranded for the modern age – have been popularised by celebrities including the Kardashians, who frequently post pictures wearing them, and Jessica Alba, who claimed they helped her lose weight after her pregnancy.  

While its advocates claim that waist trainers are a form of exercise, the official line from the experts is that this is more marketing spiel than anything a fitness professional would recommend. If you want to get on board with a celebrity fitness trend, why not watch this vintage Cindy Crawford workout video instead?