The present invention provides a negative active material, a method of preparing the negative active material, a negative electrode including the negative active material, and a lithium battery comprising the electrode. The negative active material including: a composite including a matrix comprising silicon oxide, silicon carbide, carbon and silicon particles dispersed in the matrix; and a carbon coating film formed on a surface of the composite, wherein an intensity ratio of a SiC peak to a Si peak in an X-ray diffraction spectrum is at least 1.