WIREDGOV

The power and popularity of football is helping more and more men lose weight – and experience the benefits of getting active.

“I was obese and facing a knee operation, which I only really needed because of my weight,” says builder Ben Gallon.

“I saw MAN v FAT footballers and thought I’d give it a go with my brother. I love football and I desperately needed to lose weight.”

Ben became one of the first people to join MAN v FAT footballers when he joined the first free league in Solihull in January 2016.

Current State Of Play

His story is a familiar one among men in the UK.

More than 67% of men are overweight or obese, according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE)Open in a new window figures.

By using the power and popularity of football, though, more and more men are now losing weight and experiencing the benefits associated with getting active.

More than 4,500 players have joined the leagues and lost nearly 50 tons of weightOpen in a new windowbetween them since the launch over 18 months ago.

Across the leagues, more than 90% of players lose weight and 93% report health improvements.

Tackling Inactivity

The impact is clear – which is why we, along with the Football AssociationOpen in a new window, are now backing 20 MAN v FAT Football leagues starting in September.

We are investing £190,000 of National Lottery funding to provide more opportunities for people to play.

Taking part will be free or subsidised, giving more than 1,200 inactive men the perfect opportunity to get back into sport and activity.

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