The aim of this research was to examine gender differences in body image and the use of weight reduction strategies, and to examine a possible moderating effect of body image importance on the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and the use of weight reduction strategies in adolescents. A total of 913 high school students (65.7% girls; mean age 16.2 ± 1.18 years) participated in the study. They completed the Body Image and Body Change Inventory. The results showed that, in general, girls are more dissatisfied with their body image, estimate their body image to be more important, and they use weight reduction strategies more frequently than do boys. The results of regression analyses showed that body image importance moderates the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and the use of weight reduction strategies. Boys and girls who are dissatisfied with their body weight and who, at the same time, estimate their body weight as important to them, use weight-reduction strategies more often than boys and girls who are dissatisfied with their body weight, but who do not estimate their body weight to be particularly important to them. The same pattern is present in the relationship among the importance of the appearance of individual body parts, dissatisfaction with the appearance of individual body parts and the use of weight reduction strategies. This research provided an additional insight into the role of body image importance in adolescents. The results of this study could be used as guidelines for the design of prevention programs focused on body image dissatisfaction and the consequences it brings.

body image dissatisfaction, body image importance, strategies to lose weight, adolescence