needs to be far more straightforward. Forget berating young and old for their eating habits and what the scales are saying, and give them the much more appealing solution that physical activity is the way to a longer, healthier life. If you offered people a drug that would confer these benefits with no side-effects, you would be trampled in the rush. A pill that promised the same effect as just 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity each day would make headlines around the world. Yet because it's not a new miracle cure on the market, and it's not a mythical superfood, it's not news at all. But the evidence is there. Physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers and even delay cognitive decline. According to Karim Khan , editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, you probably need to be doing 60 minutes a day for optimum health (after which time there are diminishing returns health-wise). If we're going to pick a health issue to be fascinated by, isn't this the one? It isn't about getting everyone running marathons, or setting aside the time and money they don't have to go to the gym every day. For many, these are the unattainable goals that lead to a sense of failure, and send us right back down the cul-de-sac of putting all the emphasis on losing a few pounds because a pleasing result on the scales gives us a moment's relief from