Abstract

TERCEDOR, P. et al. Increase in cigarette smoking and decrease in the level of physical activity among Spanish adolescents: AVENA study. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2007, vol.22, n.1, pp.89-94. ISSN 1699-5198.

Objetive: Cigarette smoking among adolescents as well as the level of physical activity constitutes a public health care issue. The aim is knowing the relationship between cigarette smoking and practice of physical activity. Setting: Schooled Spanish adolescents. Subjects: 2859 Spanish adolescents (1357 boys, 1502 girls; age range: 13-18.5 years). Interventions: A questionnaire is applied to know the level of cigarette smoking and four other questionnaires to know the level of physical activity during different periods. Results: 40.8% of the adolescents stated not doing any physical activity at all, boys being more active than girls (p < 0.001). 29.9% of the adolescents stated usually smoking cigarettes, without differences by gender. Both active boys and girls stated smoking less (P ≤ 0.01). The greater the age, the higher cigarette smoking and the lower the level of physical activity, both in boys and girls (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The level of physical activity is low, being even lower for girls. Cigarette smoking shows a negative relationship with the level of physical activity, the individuals more physically active being those smoking the less.

Keywords : Cigarette smoking; Physical activity; Adolescents.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )