Battle of the Bulge: 1 in 4 Football Fans Claim To Have Gained an Average of 10 Pounds This Football Season

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Jan. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- While pro football's best will battle on the gridiron on February 2, according to a just-released Nutrisystem, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRI) survey, millions of football fans are simultaneously battling the bulge.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140127/NE52914)

The survey, conducted online in the U.S. on behalf of Nutrisystem by Harris Interactive, polled 1,283 American football fans (meaning they and/or their spouse/partner follow professional football) in early January and found that 25 percent reported that they gained weight during this football season. Among those that have gained weight this football season, the average gain was 10 pounds. Additionally, 16 percent admitted they gained 20 or more pounds. 

With only 16 weeks until summer, many of those individuals will look to get back on track the day football season ends. Nutrisystem, a leading provider of weight loss products and services, reports that last year, men's program orders doubled compared to average days making the Monday after the game one of the top diet decision days for men.

"Between the 17-week regular season, tailgating, playoff parties and the holidays, this time of year is one of the worst in regards to weight gain, especially for men," said Dawn Zier, President and CEO of Nutrisystem. "The Big Game is like New Year's and many men's resolutions do not start until the football season has officially come to a close."

According to the USDA, the professional football championship game day is the second largest food consumption day behind Thanksgiving. Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks, with the average football fan consuming 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat from snacking alone, reports The Calorie Control Council.

Moreover, the weight gain can be even worse for the fans of the losing team. According to a recent study, published in Psychological Science, on the Monday following a big football game, fans of the losing team seem to load up on saturated fats and sugars, whereas supporters of the winning team opt for healthier foods.

"Like the holidays, football Sundays are packed with celebration and stress – both of which are common triggers for overeating," said Dr. Anthony Fabricatore, Vice President of Research and Development at Nutrisystem. "With the season over, many fans are ready to get back in control of their eating and their health."

The Nutrisystem® Men's Program launched in response to a gap in commercial weight loss programs for men. Just this year, the company announced the Nutrisystem® My Way® program tailored to the individual's metabolism, along with its Fast 5™ kit that promises a five-pound weight loss in the customer's first week, backed by a money-back guarantee. The kit includes all-new shakes with formulations for men to meet their unique nutritional needs. The EnergiZING™ shake is formulated to boost metabolism while the Craving Crusher™ shake is designed to help curb common dieting pitfalls. The program contains fan favorites such as burgers, pasta and pizza and requires no counting, weighing or measuring, which takes the guesswork out of dieting. 

Dan Marino, a Pro-Football Hall of Fame quarterback, has been a spokesperson for Nutrisystem since the inception of the men's program in 2006, after losing 22 pounds.

"Nutrisystem was one of the best decisions I ever made," said Marino. "I got down to my playing weight, and it wasn't that hard."

For more information about Nutrisystem and its plans for men, visit www.nutrisystem.com.

About Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRI) is a leading provider of structured home-delivered weight loss meal plans, and has helped consumers lose weight for more than 40 years by providing quality foods and a nutritionally balanced meal program. For diet season 2014, Nutrisystem, based in Fort Washington, PA, has introduced the Nutrisystem® My Way® program, which factors in an individual's metabolic needs, along with the Fast 5™ kit for accelerated initial weight loss. Meal plans feature more than 150 menu options, along with complimentary, optional counseling from trained weight-loss coaches, registered dietitians and certified diabetes educators. Customers are provided further support from the online community, tools, trackers, mobile apps, cookbooks and more. Nutrisystem® plans are personalized to meet individual health goals and are consistent with national guidelines for dietary intake meeting targets for fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol and fiber as well as national guidelines for physical activity. Additionally, plans can be customized to specific dietary needs and preferences including the Nutrisystem® D® program for people with diabetes or those at risk for type 2 diabetes. Healthcare professionals may learn more about the programs by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/hcp. Nutrisystem® weight loss plans are available directly to consumers through www.nutrisystem.com, by phone (1-800-435-4074) and at select retailers. 

Abbreviated Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Nutrisystem from January 6-8, 2014 among 2,051 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Greg Wiley at [email protected].

About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research. Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients—stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

SOURCE Nutrisystem