Gender Differences in High School Students' Dieting Behavior and Their Correlates

In this study, we explored the relationships among gender and diet type (weight loss, weight gain, not dieting) on body image perceptions and psychological well-being in a sample of high school students. Our findings showed (1) that young women were more likely to be dieting to lose weight while young men were more likely to be dieting to gain weight and (2) that those high in the drive for thinness were most likely to be dieting to lose weight while those high in the drive for muscularity were most likely to be dieting to gain weight. The data also revealed that dieting to lose weight was associated with reporting significantly more depressive symptoms than dieting to gain weight or not being on a diet at all. The importance of distinguishing between boys’ and girls’ body image concerns was discussed.