Sport practice in the city of madrid and its Metropolitan Area: distribution according to Sociodemographic Characteristics of their Population

This paper is framed in a wider research directed to analyze Madrid population sports habits. In a deeper way, possible relations between some social and demographical population characteristics (gender, age and social class) and certain indicators of their interests and sports behaviours will be analyzed. The sample was composed of 625 subjects, overall valid data were obtained, with an error of ±  4 % and 95.5% of trust interval. The sample was obtained from a multi stages system and a questionnaire was used as a tool. Results show that Madrid population perception of necessity to exercise is related to subjects social class [Χ²(2)= 9,764; p<,01]. Significant differences were also found in a global rate of exercising according to gender [Χ²(1)= 17,345; p<,001], age [Χ²(4)= 32,798; p<,001] and social class [Χ²(2)= 16,335; p<,001] of interviewed persons. On the other hand, exercising frequency seems to be related, only, to the age of the participants [Χ²(4)= 11,671; p<,05].