UWA has established a weight-loss programme for football loving blokes. So has a consortium including Curtin U, Edith Cowan U and the University of Newcastle – but while both were out announcing achievements yesterday, they aren’t the same.

UWA’s is Man v Fat a soccer programme from the UK. Curtin’s squad is West Coast Eagles-associated Aussie-Fit. While the soccer blokes actually play and the male football fans exercise the two share goals.

‘There’s very little out there that is designed to help men lose weight, and this program gets them back into sport and helps them lose weight, UWA’S Ben Jackson says.

“By taking part in this project, we expect the fans to reduce their weight and waistline, increase their knowledge of healthy eating and different types of physical activity, learn how to sustain their new lifestyle over the longer term, and gain a unique, behind-the-scenes experience with their favourite footy club,” Curtin’s Eleanor Quested announces.

Nothing like healthy competition to sweat the lard stuff.