Background: Obesity is an important health problem. Its frequency, however, is potentially reducible through health care education influencing daily habits. Therefore, the relationship between obesity, smoking habit and physical activity during leisure time, all modifiable daily habits influencing both obesity and health in general, were studied in a Spanish adult population.
Methods: Information on the study variables of both sexes from 20 to 64 years of age were obtained from the National Health Care Survey undertaken in 1987. The presence of obesity was approximated from the Quetelet index defined as weight (in kg) divided by height (in m2). The data were analyzed by non conditional logistic regression taking the main confusion factors into account.
Results: A statistically significant inverse relationship (odds ratio less than 1) (p < 0.05) was observed in both males and females in most of the categories of exposure variables, from obesity with cigarette consumption and with physical activity. An U-shaped dose/response relationship was observed in both sexes. The relationship between obesity and physical activity during free time was lineal and statistically significant (p < 0.0001) among males.
Conclusions: The results were consistent with previous studies and provide additional arguments for the inclusion of physical activity during leisure time within educative actions for health care. Likewise, the modest inverse association seen between smoking and obesity should not be used to counteract the efforts undertaken against this habit.