Americans and Europeans still struggle to grasp basic personal health and fitness concepts – despite increased efforts to provide public health education through government-led campaigns.

The second annual Fitness IQ survey, conducted by fitness equipment provider Nautilus, questioned 2,600 men and women aged 18 and older in May 2016 — including participants in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US.

The survey examined general consumer understanding of health, nutrition and fitness topics.

On average, US-based respondents correctly answered around 42 per cent of the simple questions around fitness, while the European average was just 39 per cent.

The survey revealed that common misconceptions around nutrition, exercise and workouts persist on an international scale.

More than half of Americans (55 per cent) and Europeans (61 per cent) were unaware of the recommended daily calorie intake for adults (around 2,000 calories), while 48 per cent of Americans and 53 per cent of Europeans believed that fat can turn into muscle as a result of weight training.

For Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist and certified sports nutritionist, the results are unsurprising.

“When it comes to health and fitness, this data confirms there is room for improvement on both sides of the Atlantic,” Holland said.

“Knowledge should provide the first step in encouraging people to make smart decisions about what they eat and to get them moving. Those decisions should start at home with the personal choices they make every day.”

• Those wanting to test their own Fitness IQ can do so, as the test has been made available online (click here).