The best way to get fit ... exercise with your partner

COUPLES have long been known to influence each other with risky behaviour such as smoking and drinking.

Now scientists have found the same applies to getting fit – if one half of a couple improves their exercise regime, the other partner is much more likely to follow suit.

The Israeli research found ‘couple power’, with partners training together instead of individually, had the potential to get both exercising more frequently.

Dr Silvia Koton and colleagues from Tel Aviv University analysed data from 3,261 American couples who were questioned about their activity levels on two medical visits separated by six years.

Guidelines in the US recommend adults should exercise moderately for a minimum of 150 minutes a week or vigorously for at least 75 minutes. During the first visit, 45 per cent of husbands and 33 per cent of wives met these recommendations.

The researchers found that when a wife met recommended exercise levels at the first visit, her husband was 70 per cent more likely to do so at the next one than those whose wives were less active. When a husband met the recommended levels on the first visit, his wife was 40 per cent more likely to do so at the follow-up.

Dr Koton said: ‘It was well known that spouses exhibit similar risky behaviours like smoking and drinking but… our study tells us that spouses can have a positive impact on one another in terms of staying fit and healthy over time.

‘Our findings suggest that physical activity promotion efforts should consider targeting couples.’