Characteristics of Sports Fans in Relation to Lifestyle

PreferencesDr. Elizabeth A. Loughren, Dr. Colin Baker, Joseph W. Spry and Dr. Orla Flannery

University of Gloucestershire, UK

Aim

Rationale

To assess physical activity, health and well-being preferences of football, rugby, cricket and horseracing fans.

Targeting sport fans provides a unique means of engaging people in healthy lifestyle programmes but more evidence is needed concerning

how to support participants’ sustained attendance.

Background

In the UK, the proportion who are categorised as obese

increased from 13% of men (1993) to 24% (2012) and from

16% of women (1993) to 25% (2012), and it is predicted that

60% of adult men and 50% of adult women will be classified

as obese by 2050 (1, 2)

Costs attributable to obesity are projected to reach £9.7

billion per year by 2050 (3)

Only 36% of adults participate in 30 minutes of moderate

intensity sport once a week (2)

There is an increasing focus on strategies that seek to

promote health through sport and physical activity (4)

Sports club settings provide a potential means of engaging

sports fans via multidisciplinary community based health

promotion strategies (5, 6)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Physical

Activity

Weight

Management

Smoking

Cessation

Heart Health Dietary

Advice

Alcohol

Advice

Mental

Health and

Stress

Health

Check

All of the

Above

Preferred programme subjects (%) Female (%)

Male (%)

Overall (%)

Methods

Participant Recruitment

A purposive and opportunistic sample of fans from England

and sport types (football, rugby union, rugby league, cricket

and horse racing) was established.

Survey

An online survey through sports team websites, forums,

online newsletters, social media, and gate surveys in

conjunction with match and race day events was conducted

between April-December 2013.

Results

Of the 246 total responses 172 (70%) (n = 117 males, 55

females) ranging in age from 18-69 (M=34.43; SD=13.48)

indicated an interest in joining a healthy lifestyle

programme geared around sport fans.

Overall most fans (92.4%) felt support from players/sport

professionals would attract them to the programme.

Males placed more emphasis on heart health, mental health

and stress.

Respondents indicated that key programme components

should include: physical activity; weight management;

heart health; diet, and health checks.

The majority of the respondents owned a smart phone and

agreed an app could support them to become healthier.

While cost and a lack of time were cited as the main

barriers, respondents felt their family, friends, and local

facilities could assist most in leading a healthier lifestyle.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Cost Too Little Time Family

Commitments

Transport to

Course

Work

Commitments

Not have

someone to go

with

My Health

Perceived programme barriers (%)Female (%)

Male (%)

Overall (%)

16%

15%

4%

5%

13%7%

19%

7%

14%

Perceived utility of mobile app technology

Dietary Advice

Motivation

Stop Smoking

Mental Health and Stress

Being More Active

Compare Self With Others

Record of Achievement

Alcohol Intake

Look After Weight

Conclusions

Sport fans are interested in participating in

healthy lifestyle programmes at local sport

facilities and perceive the following as key

sources of support:

Family

Friends

Mobile technology

These findings could help shape the

development of healthy lifestyle programmes

targeting specific social groups.

References:

1. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care. (2013). Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet - England, 2013. Leeds: Information Centre for Health and Social Care. Available at: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB10364

2. Pringle, A., Zwolinsky, S., Daly-Smith, A., Robertson, S., McKenna, J. & White, A. (2011). The pre-adoption demographic and health profiles of men participating in a programme of men’s health delivered in English Premier League football clubs. Public Health, 125(7), 411-416.

2. Pringle, A., Zwolinsky, S., McKenna, J., Daly-Smith, A., Robertson, S. & White, A. (2013). Effect of a national programme of men’s health delivered in English Premier League football clubs. Public Health, 127(1), 18-26.

3. Robertson, S., Zwolinsky, S., Pringle, A., McKenna, J., Daly-Smith, A. & White, A. (2013). It is fun, fitness and football really’: A process evaluation of a football-based health intervention for men. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 5(3). doi /abs/10.1080/2159676X.2013.831372#.UqhGctJdVEI

4. WHO (2011). Promoting sport and enhancing health in European Union countries: a policy content analysis to support action. Geneva: WHO. Retrieved from: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/147237/e95168.pdf

5. Department of Health. (2011). UK physical activity guidelines. London: HMSO.

6. Health Survey for England (2012). Leeds: Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Contact: i4h@glos.ac.uk

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* P < 0.05