Why your PARTNER is the best personal trainer: If one half of a couple exercises, 'the other is more likely to follow suit'

• Health bodies advise 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week

• When wife meets guidelines, husbands are 70% more likely to follow 

• Wife is 40% more likely to meet guidelines if husband exercises

• Experts: Public health campaigns for exercise should target couples

Forget hiring a personal trainer or an exercise guru.

The best person to spur you to get fit is your partner, according to new research.

A study found if one half of a couple improves their exercise regime, the other partner is much more likely to follow suit.

This means when it comes to weight-loss, exercise is not only good for you, but it's good for your spouse too. 

And the best approach to combat increasing obesity levels and boost physical activity could be to coach couples together instead of individually.

The study by Israeli researchers found 'couple power' had the potential to get both partners exercising more frequently.

Study co-author Dr Silvia Koton, of the Department of Nursing at Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, said: 'It was well known that spouses exhibit similar risky behaviours like smoking and drinking, but it wasn't clear how an individual's level of physical activity was influenced by changes in his or her spouse's level of physical activity.

'Our study tells us that spouses can have a positive impact on one another in terms of staying fit and healthy over time.'

The researchers examined records from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, which in 1987 began following a group of 15,792 middle-aged adults from communities in Maryland, North Carolina, Minnesota and Mississippi.

The news comes after a study this week found getting sweaty could be the key to longevity. 

Australian researchers found those who undertook even the odd period of vigorous activity were more likely to avoid an early death than those who stuck to only moderate exercise.

Even those who have heart disease or diabetes would benefit from exercise that makes them puff and sweat, researchers said – although they warned them to consult a doctor first.