Resumen Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia y los factores asociados con la presencia de un patron de comportamiento de riesgo para la salud (PCRS) en adolescentes estudiantes de un colegio publico de Cartagena (Colombia). Materiales y metodos: Estudiantes entre 13 y 19 anos de edad diligenciaron un cuestionario anonimo, durante el segundo semestre de 2005, con preguntas sobre consumo de cigarrillo durante el ultimo mes, consumo de alguna sustancia ilegal alguna vez en la vida, horas diarias dedicadas a ver television, dias dedicados a una actividad fisica aerobica, relaciones sexuales antes de los 13 anos, el cuestionario CAGE para consumo abusivo de alcohol, el cuestionario SCOFF para trastornos de conducta alimentaria, la escala de Zung para depresion y la escala de Francis de actitud frente al cristianismo. Informar tres o mas de estos comportamientos se considero PCRS. Mediante regresion logistica se controlaron factores de confusion. Resultados: La edad promedio del grupo fue 14,8 anos (DE=1,6), 51,3 % varones y escolaridad promedio de 8,5 anos (DE=1,6). El 21,2 % (IC95 % 17,6-24,8) presentaba un PCRS. Se observo que los sintomas depresivos con importancia clinica (OR=2,74; IC95 % 1,46-5,16), ser varon (OR=2,35; IC95 % 1,47-3,78) y baja religiosidad (OR=1,93; IC95 % 1,24-3,02) se asociaban significativamente al PCRS. Conclusiones: EL PCRS se presenta en uno de cada cinco estudiantes de esta institucion y esta asociado a sintomas depresivos con importancia clinica, sexo masculino y baja religiosidad. Palabras claves: Comportamiento relacionado con la salud, prevalencia, adolescente, estudiantes, estudio transversal. Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with a health risk behaviors pattern (HRBP) among adolescent students of a public school at Cartagena, Colombia. Materials and Methods: Students at ages between 13 and 19 year-olds completed, during the second semester in the year 2005, an anonymous questionnaire, about last-month cigarette smoking, ever illegal drug use, daily hours for watching television, number of days for aerobical physical activity, sexual intercourse before 13 years, the CAGE questionnaire for alcohol use, the SCOFF questionnaire for eating disorders, the Zung’ self-report rating scale for depression, and the Francis scale of attitude towards Christianity. Reporting three or more health risk behaviors was classified as a HRBP. A logistic regression model was computed for controlling confounding factors. Results: The mean age of group was 14,8 years (SD=1,6), 51,3 % were boys, and the mean scholarship was 8,5 years (SD=1,6). A percentage of 21,2 % (95 % CI 17,6-24,8) presented a HRBP. Reporting clinically significant depressive symptoms (OR=2,74; 95 % CI 1,46- 5,16), being male (OR=2,35; 95 % CI 1,47-3,78) and low attitude towards Christianity were associated (OR=1,93; 95 % CI 1,24-3,02) with PHRB. Conclusions: The HRBP is present in one out of five adolescent students of this school, and it is related to clinically significant depressive symptoms, male sex, and low attitude towards Christianity. Key words: Health-related behaviors, prevalence, adolescent, students, crosssectional study.