IN: FOLLOW UP STUDY

The results from the Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of the FFIT programme were extremely positive. Overall 92% of men attended measurements at 12 months, where we found that the intervention group had lost,on average, 4.94kg more than the comparison group, and that 39.0% of men in the intervention group had lost at least 5% of their initial weight (compared to 11.3% in the comparison group).

Following the RCT, FFIT was rolled out to many more clubs by the SPFL Trust, and a number of other exciting new projects were developed, which built on the learning from FFIT. However, the success of FFIT in helping men achieve long term weight loss beyond 12 months was still unknown.

In Spring 2015, three and a half years since the intervention group took part in FFIT, and two and a half years since the comparison group took part in FFIT, the men who took part were invited back to see how well they had succeeded in achieving long term weight loss and in making long term improvements to their physical activity and diet.

The aims of this follow-up study were:

• to compare weight loss over time in the intervention and comparison groups
• to look at factors that might predict men’s success/lack of success in controlling their weight long term
• to ask those who had shown positive improvements and those who had not show positive improvements about their experiences of long term weight control
• to investigate value for money of FFIT in medium and longer term
• to determine the value of following up men taking part in future FFIT programmes using information in their NHS medical records.

NEXT: FOLLOW UP FINDINGS