A HEALTH initiative being launched in Crewe aims to tackle obesity among men out on the football pitch.

The MAN V FAT programme kicks off in Crewe on Monday night with the aim of recruiting players to a new league.

The project was started as a crowdfunding digital magazine before moving into the real world with football leagues for overweight men whose goals are not only those of hitting the back of the net but weekly weight loss targets.

It says that 90 per cent of men who have taken part have hit their weight loss goals which is good news for the north west where Public Health England data for the year up to March 2020 found four of the country's top 20 obese areas, with Knowsley (73.7%) leading the way and Halton (70.6%) in Cheshire next.

In Cheshire East 64.9 per cent of the adult male population is overweight or obese men, which is slightly above the national average of 62.3 per cent.

When the league was launched in Wigan, another blackspot for male obesity, 41 players lost a combined total of 50 stone in a season with some dropping as much as 70 pounds during a 14-week league.

A study published in August found that people with obesity are at a greater risk of hospitalisation (113%), admission to intensive care (74%) and death from Covid-19 ((48%).

The first ever MAN V FAT Crewe league is being hosted at the former MMU's Crewe Green campus and will run from 8 to 10pm every Monday. The cost to join is £27.50 a month per player.

Players need to have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 27.5 or greater and they can find out whether they have at the registration page on the programme website.

MAN v FAT's Head of Football, Richard Crick said: "We are really excited to be launching another league in the North West and encourage anyone from in and around Crewe, who feels that the programme might be right for them to head to our website and sign up for the league.

"We still have places remaining ahead of our pre-season session on Monday. So the message is come down, meet your new teammates and have a kick about and we'll be with you every step of the way."

For more details about how to beat the bulge on the pitch and to check your BMI and register go to the MAN v FAT website.

The MAN V FAT organisers can be reached on 0345 163 0042.