CIGARETTE-SMOKING AND SPORTS PARTICIPATION IN ADOLESCENTS - A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY AMONG HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS IN ITALY

All the male students in a high school in Brescia, North Italy (about 195,000 inhabitants) in Grades 9 through 13 were given a self-administ ered anonymous questionnaire during school time. Among the 1,462 stude nts who filled in a valid questionnaire, 29.1% claimed to practice one or more sports regularly (at least 4 hours/week for 9 months/ year or more), 30.2% practice sports occasionally, and 40.7% no sports at all . The percentage of current smokers (at least one cigarette a month) i ncreased from 9th grade (11.1%) to 10th (13.2%), 11th (15.2%), 12th (2 7.7%), and 13th (23.7%) grade. The percentage of smokers showed a stea dy linear increase from the lowest to the highest grade in students pr acticing no or occasional activity but no increase in those who regula rly practice sports. Students' smoking was negatively associated with the regular practice of sports among 12th-13th grade students.