New FFIT funding boost revealed
Written By SPFL Trust Media Centre
We’re pleased to reveal that people living in areas of Scotland with high levels of health inequalities are to be given greater opportunity to be coached by their local professional football club by participating in Europe’s most successful sport intervention programme, Football Fans in Training (FFIT, pronounced FIT).
Key headlines:
- Further £100,000 in funding, in addition to existing £264,000 grant for the scheme
- Europe’s most successful sport intervention programme – Football Fans in Training – to return after six-month pause because of Covid-19
- Strict adherence to Scottish Government guidelines will be observed
- Ten years since the initial pilot, with University of Glasgow research revealing that participants lose weight – and generally keep it off
- SPFL Trust and clubs are encouraging football fans to ‘Get FFIT & Focused’ as lockdown restrictions are eased
Our 12-week course includes diet and lifestyle advice from experts, as well as light physical activities, all delivered by their local Scottish football club.
We are delighted that the additional funding means that the programme in 2020-21 will have 1,536 starters, of which 1,050 must complete. Of these, at least 436 starters and 300 completing participants will be from areas of highest deprivation. This additional funding helps to expand on tackling health inequalities across Scotland.
FFIT is Europe’s leading sport intervention programme, powered by football clubs in a number of different countries across the continent. The programme was born in Scotland where it continues to have a hugely positive effect as thousands of participants from the last decade can attest.
Open to both men and women (delivered via separate programmes), FFIT provides football fans with an opportunity to become healthier, lose weight, and become happier at the same time.
Men and women aged 35-65 with a waist of 38 inches or a belly size of 40 inches are invited to participate.
The 12-week programme (plus a ‘week zero’ session) aims to help participants:
- Increase knowledge of diet & nutrition
- Improve lifestyle choices
- Increase physical activity amongst participants
- Reduce weight and waist measurements
- Increase engagement in other physical activity
The programme was created by the SPFL Trust in partnership with the University of Glasgow. It is funded in Scotland, by the Scottish Government.
Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Joe FitzPatrick said: “Tackling health inequalities has always been a key priority for this government and we’re concerned that the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic risks exacerbating the situation across Scotland.
“That’s why we’re investing a further £100,000 in this initiative, on top of the existing £264,000 already committed.”
Mr FitzPatrick added: “The benefits of getting people off the couch and into a training programme are numerous, from weight loss and improved physical fitness to the positive effect exercise can have on people’s mental wellbeing”.
Research has determined that the power of being ‘in your own club’ (defined as being behind the scenes, in the dressing rooms, by the pitch) has a strong motivating factor, and results in a very much higher level of programme ‘completers’, the rate of which is generally 75%, which is well above metrics recorded in non-football environments.
Further long-term research has revealed that participants in FFIT not only lost weight but that they largely kept it off and maintained a healthier lifestyle.
“We are delighted that the Scottish Government is investing a further £100,000 to support FFIT at participating community trusts and associated clubs in deprived areas,” explained our CEO Nicky Reid.
“This is testament to the success of the programme, accompanied by the hard work and dedication of the community trusts and associated clubs running FFIT to help support people’s health and wellbeing in their local community”.
FFIT participant Alison McKenzie explains the benefits of the programme: “I think this is the first time in my whole life I’ve not been overweight. I’m not a football fan, but this programme is for everyone, and it has given me an opportunity to build friendships with other participants.
“I’ve continued to keep up my fitness levels, and kept the lifestyle changes I had made. It’s improved my diet, health and fitness. I never thought I’d be able to do this, but it has been life-changing for me and my family”.
Find out more about FFIT and sign up here.