The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gender, age, body image importance, motives for exercise, the perceived influence of the media on changes in physical appearance and exercise dependence. 240 recreational exercisers (44.6% female) aged 18 to 30 years (M = 23.62, SD = 3.06) completed a set of online questionnaires that included questions on basic sociodemographic and exercise data and the Body Image Importance Scale from the Body Image and Body Change Questionnaire, Media Influence Scale from The Perceived Sociocultural Influences on Body Image and Body Change Questionnaire, Function of Exercise Scale and Exercise Dependence Scale. The rate of exercise dependence was 9.6%. The results showed that female exercisers perceive a greater influence of the media on weight loss than male exercisers, while male exercisers perceive a greater influence of the media on weight gain and show higher levels of exercise dependence than female exercisers. No gender differences were found in body image importance, the perceived influence of the media on increasing muscularity, as well as in appearance and health and enjoyment, as two motives for exercise. Gender, age, exercise for appearance, exercise for health and enjoyment, and perceived media influence on weight gain were found to be statistically significant predictors of exercise dependence in a multiple regression analysis. Only age was a negative predictor of exercise dependence, while the other variables showed to be its positive predictors. The perceived influence of the media on weight loss and the perceived influence of the media on increasing muscularity did not show to be statistically significant predictors of exercise dependence. Body image importance partially mediates the relationship between age and exercise dependence.