The World’s Fittest Athlete Physical Fitness Challenge consists of 11 tests that have to be accomplished in the shortest time possible. The tests are: a 110-mile bike ride, 3,250 sit-ups, a 12-mile walk, 20 miles on the cross-trainer, 300,000lb of weightlifting, 1,250 star jumps, 1,250 press-ups, 1,250 hip flexors, a 12-mile run, a two-mile swim and a 20-mile row.

The Deca Ironman Triathlon, which is effectively 10 triathlons put together, consists of a 24-mile swim, a 1,120-mile bike ride and a 262-mile run. Phew!

Adult obesity rates in the United Kingdom have quadrupled in the past 25 years. Ten per cent of all six-year-olds are now obese, and one in four of all 11 to 15-year-olds are overweight or obese. It is predicted that nine out of 10 adults and two-thirds of children will be overweight or obese by 2050.

Italy is the slimmest nation in Europe, according to a survey by the European Commission. A league table based on the average body mass index - a World Health Organisation-recognised measure - shows that the only other countries with an average index in the healthy range are France, Turkey, Austria, Romania, Poland and the Netherlands. The UK’s average index (which is based on a person’s weight in relation to their height) is 25.4, putting it in the overweight category. The fattest country in Europe is Malta.

Regular exercise can increase a child’s bone mass by 30 per cent.

Regardless of age, weight and athletic ability, aerobic exercise - such as walking, bicycling or swimming - is good for you. Regular aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, strokes and certain types of cancer. It can also help to manage chronic conditions, keep excess pounds at bay, ward off viral illnesses, keep one’s arteries clear, strengthen the heart, boost one’s mood and increase one’s stamina. Other types of aerobic exercise might include cross-country skiing, stair-climbing, jogging or rowing.

A 150lb person will burn off approximately 675 calories if he or she jogs for an hour. Other activities or interests pursued for a similar length of time will result in a estimated loss of calories as follows: skiing (740 calories), swimming (603 calories), playing football (468 calories), cycling on a flat surface (441 calories), dancing (370 calories), yoga (360 calories), gardening (324 calories), walking briskly (297 calories), playing golf (240 calories), vacuuming or mopping (150 calories), watching television (72 calories) and sleeping (45 calories).

One doesn’t have to necessarily give up foods like hamburgers, chips and ice cream to eat healthily. It is more a question of “how often and how much”. A body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and a host of different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and C, iron and calcium from a variety of foods.

As well as preventing - or managing - high blood pressure, regular exercise should benefit one’s cholesterol. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol.

Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to one’s tissues and helps the cardiovascular system - the circulation of blood through one’s heart and blood vessels - work more efficiently.

Physical activity can strengthen not only the heart, but lungs, bones and muscles, too.