Waist Trainer Promoted by Kim Kardashian Settles $5 Million Lawsuit for False Weight Loss Claims

Can a waist trainer help you burn fat and lose weight? A California woman, Sara Hawes, says no. That’s why she’s suing the Waist Gang Society, the manufacturer of waist trainers — essentially, glorified corsets — that became insanely popular after the Kardashian sisters started promoted the product on social media.

Hawes filed the $5 million class action suit against the company in March, as Yahoo News reported in March. She claimed Waist Gang Society was grossly misleading customers into thinking its products could help users shed pounds, when in actually the products — which range from $39 to $160 — actually redistribute weight to other parts of the body, giving the appearance of a slimmer waist. The company’s website even states that their waist trainers are, “a unique and efficient way to help women shed unwanted inches and feel good about themselves — no diet and exercise required,”

But corsets, which have been around for a long time, simply don’t work that way — and Hawes accused the company of false advertising and deception. The Daily Mail confirms — in an exclusive — that the suit was recently settled and allegations against the company were dismissed. Hawes was also seeking an injunction to stop the company from promising weight loss to its customers.

“Sisters who waist train together stay fit together!!” Khloe Kardashian captioned this pic, which features herself as well as sisters Kourtney and Kylie in waist trainers.

Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe Kardashian ignited the craze last year by snapping selfies wearing the waist-cinching garments and blasting them out to their millions of combined followers. Famous burlesque dancer Dita von Teese, who spent years “mastering the art of corsetry,” slammed the craze in December, calling it “the blind leading the blind,” according to the International Business Times.

The Kardashians, who regularly promote the product on Instagram, were not named in the suit. The Daily Mail couldn’t confirm that the family gets paid for the plugs, but they often offer discount codes for the waist trainers on their Instagram posts. But the sisters have millions of followers combined, and their endorsements helped the company’s value climb to $2 million, according to its founder, PreMadonna.

It should be noted that the Waist Gang Society’s website does admit in a disclaimer that “results vary depending on weight, height, usage of product, diet and exercise regiment. This product carries no weight loss guarantees.“ Women’s Health had previously reported that “Once you take the garment off, your body will return to its usual shape,” according to Yale School of Medicine clinical professor Dr. Mary Jane Minkin.

The Kardashians and Waist Gang Society have not commented on the suit.

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