•Gender differences in Body Dissatisfaction: a large-scale investigation among adolescents using two international surveys

Body dissatisfaction is closely linked to low self-esteem, reduced well-being, as well as mental health issues, and eating-related pathologies, which are increasingly prevalent worldwide, particularly among women. Understanding gender differences in body dissatisfaction is therefore an important issue. Previous studies often rely on small, non-representative samples from single developed countries.This study aims to analyze gender differences in body dissatisfaction using two large-scale international surveys, covering 70,000 teenagers aged 15 to 16 across 9 countries and 200,000 teenagers aged 11 to 16 across 41 countries. Girls report significantly higher body dissatisfaction than boys, regardless of Body Mass Index, socioeconomic background, age, or country. Additionally, for girls, body image concerns appear more central, with body dissatisfaction showing stronger negative associations with life satisfaction and self-efficacy compared to boys. Within countries, the gender gap is more pronounced among high-performing students, teenagers from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, older teenagers, and those with higher BMI.The gender gap in body dissatisfaction varies across countries, primarily driven by greater variability in girls' body dissatisfaction. Countries with larger gender gaps also show wider gender disparities in life satisfaction, eating disorders and depression. Notably, body dissatisfaction satisfies the Gender Equality Paradox, with larger gender differences in more developed countries, mainly due to higher dissatisfaction among girls.We also examine the role of social norms. Stereotypes associating women more with physical appearance than abilities are more prevalent in more developed countries. Moreover, these stereotypes are associated with greater body dissatisfaction among women and larger gender differences in body dissatisfaction. Our analysis suggests that these stereotypes may at least partly explain the Gender Equality Paradox in body dissatisfaction.By identifying the patterns and drivers of gender differences in body dissatisfaction, this study provides a foundation for more effective strategies to address this important issue.