London, Aug 26 (IANS) Eight out of 10 adolescents taking part in sports activities don’t smoke, according to a new study in Spain.The study linking tobacco consumption and sports, based on a survey of 3,000 students between 13 and 18, was carried out by the University of Granada, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the universities of Murcia, Zaragoza and Cantabria, and the Nuestra Señora de la Consolación School of Granada.

The survey, published in the journal Nutrición Hospitalaria, showed that 80 percent of the Spanish adolescents who play a game do not smoke.

But it also showed that over 40 percent of the adolescents do not practise any physical activity.

The survey revealed that 15 percent adolescents are regular smokers, slightly more girls than boys. There was a clear correlation between the practice of physical activity and tobacco consumption.

It also found that 59.2 percent of adolescents are physically active, although there are significant differences, gender-wise - 71.1 percent of boys, against 46.7 percent of girls.

These results show the importance of promoting physical activity and eradicating smoking, since physical activity, diet and tobacco and alcohol consumption were found to be linked with obesity, diabetes, coronary disease, osteoporosis and cancer.