It was in 2003 that the EU Commission Directorate General for Education and Culture commissioned a «Study on young people¿s lifestyles and sedentariness and the role of sport in the context of education and as a means of restoring the balance». The purpose of this study was to compile an intercultural comparative analysis of adolescents¿ lifestyles within the EU. This analysis was based on international and national studies from the areas of epidemiology, cardiology, paediatrics, physiology, nutrition, psychology, sociology and sport sciences dealing with physical activity, fitness and motor abilities.

Contents: W.-D. Brettschneider/R. Naul: Obesity in Europe. Young people's physical activity and sedentary lifestyles - N. Armstrong: Physical fitness and physical activity patterns of European youth - L. B. Andersen/K. Froberg/P. L. Kristensen/N. C. Møller: Physical activity and physical fitness in relation to cardiovascular disease in children - P. Parisi: Health, Development and Education in an Integral Perspective - B. Vanreusel/B. Meulders: Sedentary life styles and physical (in-)activity in youth, a social risk perspective - S. C. Duerksen/N. R. Campbell/E. M. Arredondo/G. X. Ayala/B. Baquero/J. Elder: Obesity prevention in the homes, schools and neighbourhoods of Mexican-American children - A. Niederhaus: Facing Obesity: New Challenges for Government-funded Healthy Eating Campaigns - S. Danielzik/B. Landsberg/S. Pust/M. J. Müller: Overweight in children and youth-determinants and strategies for prevention - H. Heseker/A. Oepping: Nutrition, media consumption and obesity in children - C. Graf/S. Dordel: Overweight and obesity in children - are school-based interventions effective? - A. Rychtecký: Active Lifestyles of Young People - Benefits and Outcomes - S. Laskiene: Peculiarities of young people's lifestyle in the Baltic States - J. Strel/M. Kovac/G. Jurak: Physical and motor development, sport activities and lifestyles of Slovenian children and youth - changes in the last few decades - R. Telama/H. Nupponen/L. Laakso: Determinants and correlates of physical activity among European children and adolescents - W.-D. Brettschneider/R. Naul/A. Bünnemann/D. Hoffmann: Obesity, physical activity patterns and sedentary lifestyles of young people in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.