The EFL Trust’s FIT FANS programme is helping people achieve their health goals in 2022. Funded by £2.25m from the National Lottery, the FIT FANS programme was launched in January 2020 supporting people across England in localities with the high rates of adult obesity and type 2 diabetes. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, it has helped thousands of people in the past two years and is still doing so now.

The EFL Trust is the charitable arm of the EFL and was established in 2008 to oversee the work of EFL club community organisations, such as Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. It is responsible for distributing core funding from the Premier League and The PFA to each CCO and highlights community work done by clubs across the country. Our Trust has worked with the EFL Trust for more than a decade and many projects are still ongoing.

The programme is FREE, inclusive and fun. It enables people to learn and put into practice small, consistent changes to improve their health. Funded by Sport England through the National Lottery and running across the country, it is a free health programme for men and women aged 35-65 who are looking to lose weight, get fitter and lead a more active life.

Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss is sustained over the following 12 months.

More than 90 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount. Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in blood pressure and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures. However, the benefits extend much further than just weight loss, with many participants commenting on the positive effects it has had on their mental health and social activity.

FIT FANS was originally developed in Scotland by Glasgow University and SPFL Trust as Football Fans in Training. The programme attracts adults aged 35-65 who are overweight and is delivered by coaching staff at their local football club charity, such as Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. It uses tried-and-tested behaviour change techniques, peer support and creates long term social bonds. See more here.