Supporting your team can help you lose weight

08 April 2010

A new study has revealed that going to a match and cheering on your favourite football team may actually help you slim down.

Research from website 118Footie.com revealed that on average, football fans burn between 1,000 and 1,145 calories per match.

Looking at Premiership fans at matches last season, the study showed that 90 minutes of singing, scarf-waving and jumping around could spend about half the daily recommended calorie intake for men and women (2,500 for the former and 2,000 for the latter).

In particular, jumping and dancing after your team scores a goal can use up to 81.5 calories, while booing and shouting at a referee spends about 60 calories.

Even fans supporting at home can benefit, as up to 688 calories can be lost per game while watching the match on television.

Manchester United fans were calculated to have burnt the most calories last season, followed by Spurs and Blackburn fans, while Manchester City fans were thought to have burnt the least.

Sports nutritionist Dr Adam Carey said: "Actively supporting your team is a great way to burn calories. As long as you avoid overdoing it on pies and beer, all fans should come out of the ground slimmer."