A new study led by researchers at UBC and Western University shows how a lifestyle program that taps into people’s passion for local hockey teams can help improve men’s health.
The study, published in The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine, details the main results of the Hockey Fans in Training (Hockey FIT) trial. Conducted at 42 community-based sites in Canada and the U.S., Hockey FIT leveraged partnerships with local junior and professional hockey teams, local YMCAs, fitness facilities, community centres and universities to offer a three-month lifestyle and exercise program to men living with overweight or obesity.
The results of the study show that participating in Hockey FIT resulted in significant weight loss at three and 12 months after the end of the intervention. The researchers also observed significant improvements in other meaningful health measures, including systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, waist circumference, physical activity levels, eating habits and overall well-being.
Obesity disproportionately impacts men’s health, yet fewer men engage in preventive healthcare, highlighting the urgent need for innovative and tailored interventions. The study provides new evidence that engaging men in lifestyle programming through their common bond as sports fans can have positive health benefits.
“This study leveraged the power of sport fandom to bring ‘at risk’ men together and support each other to achieve meaningful and sustainable health behaviour change,” says Hockey FIT principal investigator Dr. Robert Petrella, professor and head of the Department of Family Practice at UBC, and professor emeritus at the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine at Western University. “With this evidence, we are now adapting Fans in Training as a strategy among other populations at increased risk for chronic disease in Canada.”
Close to 1,000 eligible people participated in the Hockey FIT trial, with another 153 Hockey FIT coaches receiving training to deliver sessions. Over 80 community partners including local hockey teams, YMCAs, fitness facilities, community centres and universities collaborated with the researchers to deliver Hockey FITin their local communities.
The research team extends their heartfelt gratitude to the study participants, Hockey FIT coaches, site leads and community partners for their resilience and dedication during the study, which included navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health. The PHAC award was matched with in-kind and cash contributions from numerous partners.