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In total, 72 magazine brands have reported average circulation figures for their digital editions, more than quadrupling from the last reporting period, when just 16 reported.

Barry McIlheney, chief executive of the PPA, said: "In keeping with the rest of the industry, reporting standards are constantly changing. The ability to report digital edition figures alongside print circulation has been a step forward for publishers."

ABC rules mean that digital edition of a magazine - downloaded to tablets or smartphones through Apple’s app store and the Zinio platform - must have less than 5% editorial difference to the printed edition of the magazine.

Natmag Rodale’s Men’s Health title is the leading digital title, according to the ABC rules, registering 7,779 paid-for downloads in the six month period to the end of December, compared to 1,746 in the previous six-month period.

The Men’s Health print title reported an average print circulation of 218,368 in the period, indicating that it is still early days for digital offshoots of magazines.

Future’s T3 gadget title came in second, reporting 7,327 downloads in the period.

However, this figure only includes Zinio downloads as Future's interactive iPad edition is not included.

Future claims that an independent audit records 14,223 dowloads of the interactive iPad edition in the same period.

Its interactive edition - audited by independent auditors Bright Graeme Murray - is not similar enough to the magazine to be registered with ABC.

Big name magazine titles reporting digital figures for the first time include Hearst-owned Company (1,642 downloads), sister title Good Housekeeping (1,413) Conde Nast’s Vanity Fair (2,504) and Future’s Total Film (2,910).

Downloading and subscribing to digital editions of magazines has become easier for customers following the launch of Apple’s Newsstand - which groups digital magazines and newspapers in one place - in October last year.

Zoe Bale, press planning direct at Carat, said against the background of the decline in the men’s print titles it was good news that men were coming back into the market through digital editions.

"These are small [circulation] numbers," she said, "but they will increase, particularly after the launch of Apple Newsstand in October and strong Christmas tablet sales."