ABSTRACT
Over the past decades, scientific studies have demonstrated that regular physical activity provides health benefits (Boreham et al., 1997; Richardson et al., 2004; Cordente, 2006; Cordente et al., 2007). In recent years in Spain the effect of physical activity on health has been acknowledged to be of much importance. This trend is influenced by the increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and the increased support of preventive medicine in an effort to reduce the cost of traditional curative medicine. As a result what is believed to constitute a healthy lifestyle has now changed (Boreham et al., 1997). The aim of our study was to assess the physical activity level (PAL) of adolescents in Madrid (Spain) and to examine its relationship with some demographic (gender), sociologic (socioeconomic level, tobacco use, alcohol use and screen time – TV, computer and videogames) and anthropometric (body fat) factors.
