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This qualitative study uses Bourdieu's sociology of practice to help understand how different actors in football consider 'unhealthy' sponsorships (defined as promoting gambling, food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS), and alcohol) in the English Premier League. Eighteen informants were interviewed including those employed by football clubs and their charitable foundations, others with a commercial interest in the football industry, and members of fan organisations. Their responses were examined using a thematic approach and reflected the distribution of economic and cultural power between the agents in the field of football. Tensions within these fields of power are illustrated diagrammatically between those in possession of economic capital (the clubs), and those who protect the cultural capital of 'their' clubs (the fans). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport mega-events including the FIFA World Cup are a central component of consumer culture. Major brands are long associated with the World Cup, with many known for unhealthy products. This study quantified visual marketing references to unhealthy brands in the UK broadcasting of the 2018 Men's World Cup. Eight matches were recorded, and all segments of the recordings were coded for marketing references to unhealthy brands using predefined criteria. A total of 1794 such marketing references were recorded, an average of 224 per broadcast and 1.2 per minute, 95.4% of which were official sponsors. The total time of exposure to unhealthy brand marketing was six hours, 30 minutes and 45 seconds, with 22.7% of the footage including at least one unhealthy brand marketing reference. The results show the World Cup is a platform for the marketing of unhealthy brands with implications for those responsible for public health and television broadcasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco, alcohol and foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar generate much of the global burden of noncommunicable diseases. We therefore need a better understanding of how these products are promoted. The promotion of tobacco products through sporting events has largely disappeared over the last two decades, but advertising and sponsorship continues by companies selling alcohol, unhealthy food and sugar-sweetened beverage. The sponsorship of sporting events such as the Olympic Games, the men's FIFA World Cup and the men's European Football Championships in 2016, has received some attention in recent years in the public health literature. Meanwhile, British football and the English Premier League have become global events with which transnational companies are keen to be associated, to promote their brands to international markets. Despite its reach, the English Premier League marketing and sponsorship portfolio has received very little scrutiny from public health advocates. We call for policy-makers and the public health community to formulate an approach to the sponsorship of sporting events, one that accounts for public health concerns. Le tabac, l'alcool et les aliments riches en graisse, en sel et en sucre generent la plus large partie de la charge mondiale des maladies non transmissibles. Il est donc necessaire de mieux comprendre la maniere dont ces produits sont promus. La promotion des produits du tabac dans le cadre d'evenements sportifs a largement disparu au cours des vingt dernieres annees, mais la publicite et le sponsoring par des entreprises qui vendent de l'alcool, des produits alimentaires peu sains et des boissons sucrees sont encore d'actualite. Depuis quelques annees, la litterature sur la sante publique commence a porter son attention sur le sponsoring d'evenements sportifs, tels que les Jeux olympiques, la Coupe du monde masculine de la FIFA ou encore le Championnat d'Europe de football masculin de 2016. Mais dans le meme temps, le football britannique et la Premier League anglaise sont devenus des evenements mondiaux auxquels les multinationales aiment etre associees pour promouvoir leurs marques aupres de marches internationaux. Malgre leur portee, le marketing et le sponsoring de la Premier League anglaise semblent negliges par les defenseurs de la sante publique. Nous appelons les decideurs politiques et la communaute de sante publique a elaborer une approche pour le sponsoring d'evenements sportifs qui reponde aux enjeux de sante publique. El tabaco, el alcohol y los alimentos que son ricos en grasa, como la sal y el azucar, generan gran parte de la carga mundial de enfermedades no contagiosas. Por tanto, necesitamos una mejor comprension de la forma en que se promueven estos productos. La promocion de los productos del tabaco a traves de eventos deportivos ha desaparecido en gran medida en las ultimas dos decadas, pero la publicidad y el patrocinio continuan por parte de las empresas que venden alcohol, alimentos poco saludables y bebidas azucaradas. El patrocinio de eventos deportivos como los Juegos Olimpicos, la Copa Mundial de la FIFA masculina y el Campeonato de Futbol Europeo del 2016 ha recibido cierta atencion en los ultimos anos en la bibliografia sobre salud publica. Mientras tanto, el futbol britanico y la Premier League inglesa se han convertido en eventos globales con los que las empresas transnacionales estan dispuestas a asociarse, para promocionar sus marcas ante los mercados internacionales. A pesar de su alcance, la cartera de comercializacion y patrocinio de la Premier League inglesa apenas han sido objeto de escrutinio por parte de los defensores de la salud publica. Pedimos a los responsables de la formulacion de politicas y a la comunidad de la salud publica que formulen un enfoque para el patrocinio de eventos deportivos, que tenga en cuenta estas preocupaciones sobre la salud publica., Introduction Noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancers and type 2 diabetes, cause an estimated 41 million deaths per year globally, of which 15 million occur between the ages [...]

Background Reducing sitting time as well as increasing physical activity in inactive people is beneficial for their health. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) programme to improve physical activity and sedentary time in male football fans, delivered through the professional football setting. Methods and findings A total of 1,113 men aged 30-65 with self-reported body mass index (BMI) [greater than or equal to]27 kg/m.sup.2 took part in a randomised controlled trial in 15 professional football clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. Recruitment was between September 19, 2015, and February 2, 2016. Participants consented to study procedures and provided usable activity monitor baseline data. They were randomised, stratified by club, to either the EuroFIT intervention or a 12-month waiting list comparison group. Follow-up measurement was post-programme and 12 months after baseline. EuroFIT is a 12-week, group-based programme delivered by coaches in football club stadia in 12 weekly 90-minute sessions. Weekly sessions aimed to improve physical activity, sedentary time, and diet and maintain changes long term. A pocket-worn device (SitFIT) allowed self-monitoring of sedentary time and daily steps, and a game-based app (MatchFIT) encouraged between-session social support. Primary outcome (objectively measured sedentary time and physical activity) measurements were obtained for 83% and 85% of intervention and comparison participants. Intention-to-treat analyses showed a baseline-adjusted mean difference in sedentary time at 12 months of -1.6 minutes/day (97.5% confidence interval [CI], -14.3-11.0; p = 0.77) and in step counts of 678 steps/day (97.5% CI, 309-1.048; p < 0.001) in favor of the intervention. There were significant improvements in diet, weight, well-being, self-esteem, vitality, and biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in favor of the intervention group, but not in quality of life. There was a 0.95 probability of EuroFIT being cost-effective compared with the comparison group if society is willing to pay £1.50 per extra step/day, a maximum probability of 0.61 if society is willing to pay £1,800 per minute less sedentary time/day, and 0.13 probability if society is willing to pay £30,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). It was not possible to blind participants to group allocation. Men attracted to the programme already had quite high levels of physical activity at baseline (8,372 steps/day), which may have limited room for improvement. Although participants came from across the socioeconomic spectrum, a majority were well educated and in paid work. There was an increase in recent injuries and in upper and lower joint pain scores post-programme. In addition, although the five-level EuroQoL questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) is now the preferred measure for cost-effectiveness analyses across Europe, baseline scores were high (0.93), suggesting a ceiling effect for QALYs. Conclusion Participation in EuroFIT led to improvements in physical activity, diet, body weight, and biomarkers of cardiometabolic health, but not in sedentary time at 12 months. Within-trial analysis suggests it is not cost-effective in the short term for QALYs due to a ceiling effect in quality of life. Nevertheless, decision-makers may consider the incremental cost for increase in steps worth the investment. Trial registration International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials, ISRCTN-81935608., Author(s): Sally Wyke 1,*, Christopher Bunn 1, Eivind Andersen 2, Marlene N. Silva 3, Femke van Nassau 4, Paula McSkimming 5, Spyros Kolovos 6, Jason M. R. Gill 7, Cindy [...]

This paper investigated facilitators and barriers to implementing the European Football Fans in Training program (EuroFIT) in professional sports clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. We analyzed qualitative data collected at clubs that delivered EuroFIT, based on semi-structured interviews with coordinating staff (n = 15), coaches (n = 16), and focus group interviews with participants (n = 108), as well as data from clubs that considered delivering EuroFIT in the future, based on interviews with staff (n = 7) and stakeholders (n = 8). Facilitators for implementation related to the content and structure of the program, its evidence-base, and the context for delivery in the football stadia. Financial and human resources were both facilitators and barriers. Further barriers were mostly practical, relating to human resources and infrastructure. Major differences between countries related to experience and commitment to running community projects, and differences in infrastructure, financing, and human resources. Professional football clubs' ability to support health promotion efforts depended on their ethos and the financial and human resources available to them. Overall, the EuroFIT program was well received by clubs, coaches, participants, and stakeholders, which was reflected by the many facilitators supporting sustained implementation. For sustainable implementation, it is crucial that clubs and their stakeholders engage fully with the EuroFIT program and understand that for an adequate program delivery their views (ethos) and ways of working influence the implementation and thereby the effectiveness of EuroFIT. An important prerequisite for future roll out of EuroFIT would be a strong EuroFIT delivery partner organization to ensure financial and human resources while overseeing and guiding the quality of delivery in clubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]