Football Fans in Training (FFIT): A gender-sensitive weight loss and healthy living programme delivered to men aged 35-65 by Scottish Premier League (SPL) football clubs

ISRCTN	ISRCTN32677491
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN32677491
Protocol serial number	09/3010/06
Sponsor	University of Glasgow (UK)
Funder	National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK) - Public Health Research programme (Ref 09/3010/06)

Submission date: 27/09/2011
Registration date: 20/10/2011
Last edited: 01/03/2019

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Being overweight or obese is a major cause of ill health. Many men are overweight or obese, but are reluctant to join existing weight loss programmes. Professional football clubs, with their large (mainly male) fan base, have the potential to attract and support men to lose weight, become more active and live more healthily. Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs, supported by the SPL Trust, are committed to providing the coaches and facilities to deliver a weight loss and healthy living programme for men aged 35-65 years. This programme is called Football Fans in Training (FFIT) and men who take part attend 12 weekly group sessions at the SPL club they support.

Who can participate?
Men aged 35-65 years with a body mass index of at least 28 kg/m2.

What does the study involve?
Participating men will be randomly allocated to either the intervention group or the comparison group. Men in the intervention group will take part in the Football Fans in Training programme, a weight loss, physical activity and healthy living programme consisting of 12 weekly 90-minute sessions of classroom-based discussion and pitch-side training. This study will find out whether the FFIT programme helps men lose at least 5% of their body weight when they are measured one year later compared with the comparison group men who did not take part in FFIT during that time period. The men in the comparison group will be offered a place on FFIT after the study is completed.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The risks to men taking part in FFIT are very low. However, as some may be disappointed if they lose less weight than other men in their group, the coaches delivering the programme will be trained to give individual support where needed.

Where is the study run from?
Men will take part in FFIT at their local SPL Club.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study is starting in June 2011 and will run until December 2013.

Who is funding the study?
Delivery of the FFIT programme is funded by the Scottish Government and Football Pools. The study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.

Who is the main contact?
Dr Cindy M Gray
cindy.gray@glasgow.ac.uk

Contact information

Prof Sally Wyke
Scientific

Institute of Health and Wellbeing
College of Social Sciences
27 Bute Gardens
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
G12 8RS
United Kingdom

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Pragmatic two arm stratified randomised controlled trial
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	Football Fans in Training (FFIT): A randomised controlled trial of a gender-sensitive weight loss and healthy living programme delivered to men aged 35-65 by Scottish Premier League (SPL) football clubs
Study acronym	FFIT
Study objectives	To determine whether Football Fans in Training (FFIT), a gender-sensitive, weight loss, physical activity and healthy living programme delivered in SPL football clubs, can help men aged 35-65 years with BMI at least 28kg/m2 achieve a 5% reduction in body weight 12 months after the start of their participation in FFIT.
Ethics approval(s)	University of Glasgow College of Social Sciences Ethics Committe for Non Clinical Research Involving Human Subjects approved on 17th May 2011; Ref CSS/2011/029
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Overweight and obesity
Intervention	Men in the intervention group will take part in the Football Fans in Training prgramme, an evidence-based, gender-sensitised, weight loss, physical activity and healthy living programme consisting of 12, weekly, 90-minute sessions of 'classroom-based' discussion and 'pitch-side' training. The programme fully adheres to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) 2006 and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) 2010 guidance. The comparison group will be offered a place on FFIT following the 12-month follow-up measurements.
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure(s)	Percentage weight loss at 12 months
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. Percentage weight loss at 12 weeks 2. Percentage reduction in waist circumference and body fat (as measured by bioimpedance) at 12 weeks and 12 months 3. Physical activity: changes in self-reported frequency and duration of walking, moderate and vigorous activity, and sedentary behaviour over the last 7 days at 12 weeks and 12 months measured by the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire 4. Eating habits: changes in self-reported intake of key contributors to weight gain [e.g. fast foods, chocolate bars, chips, pies, sugary drinks] at 12 weeks and 12 months using questions adapted from the Dietary Instrument for Nutrition Education 5. Changes in self-reported alcohol consumption over the last 7 days at 12 weeks and 12 months 6. Reduction in resting blood pressure at 12 weeks and 12 months 7. Psychological outcomes 7.1. Changes in positive and negative affect as measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule 7.2. Changes in self esteem as measured by the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale 7.3. Changes in health-related quality of life as measured by SF-12, all at 12 weeks and 12 months
Completion date	31/12/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	Male
Target sample size at registration	720
Key inclusion criteria	1. Men aged 35-65 years 2. Body mass index (BMI) at least 28kg/m2 3. Have completed the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire 4. Willing to consent to weight, height and waist measurements
Key exclusion criteria	1. Prior participation in FFIT 2. Men whose measured blood pressure (BP) contraindicates vigorous exercise will be excluded from in stadium training until they can provide evidence of its reduction
Date of first enrolment	01/06/2011
Date of final enrolment	31/12/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom
Scotland

Study participating centre

University of Glasgow

Glasgow
G12 8RS
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	05/04/2014		Yes	No
Results article	results	01/01/2015		Yes	No
Results article	results	28/06/2018		Yes	No
Results article	follow-up results	01/07/2018		Yes	No
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes
Study website	Study website	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes

Editorial Notes

01/03/2019: Publication reference added.
21/12/2018: Publication reference added.