Andrew Shanahan

How pleased with you about how big a contribution MAN v FAT has made to mens’ well being over the previous ten years?

I’m concurrently proud and horrified. 

I do know exactly the way it feels to want that your psychological and bodily well being was higher, however we overlook typically that while you’re within the pit, it’s arduous to take good recommendation, or make these smart modifications. It feels suffocating and dizzying and it leaves you needing assist and that’s not at all times a cushty place for a person to be in. So, if MAN v FAT has been that supply of assist to even one man then I’m exceedingly proud. 

On the identical time I’m horrified as a result of for thus lengthy, males have been failed. Make no mistake – males have died and been robbed of years of their lives as a result of well being campaigns have seen them as tough to achieve and embedded the fantasy that males don’t need assist. Governments have failed them. Employers have failed them. Well being organisations have failed them.

In consequence, girls get a mean six additional years of life than males and that must be a trigger for disgrace. Clearly, we must be aiming to increase everybody’s life expectancy, however we should do extra to handle the inequality in women and men’s well being. 

While you began again in 2014, did you at all times suppose it might attain this level? How a lot additional do you suppose there may be to go?

All I knew is that MAN v FAT was one thing I wanted existed for me. Once we had the discussion board, I bear in mind the heat and the fellowship of the opposite guys and the communal drive to assist one another. I feel in these early days I obtained a way of what it might be like, if males banded collectively to resolve this shared drawback.

I by no means stopped to think about the place it might go, I simply knew that MAN v FAT was a supply of hope for some and that was greater than sufficient to gas the subsequent day. As for the way far it will probably go, I consider the weight problems disaster may be solved solely and I consider MAN v FAT may be a part of that resolution.  

You’ve got additionally benefited from being part of the MAN v FAT Group. How has it modified your present and future well being and wellbeing?

I feel I’ve belonged to and benefited from each incarnation of MAN v FAT! I learn the journal, I chatted on the discussion board, I wrote the guide, I attended the primary programs, I joined the leagues. Because the saying goes: been there, executed that, knitted the golden moob*.

By way of all of it, it made me really feel much less alone and like there was hope that I might obtain my well being targets. In that point I’ve realized a lot. I’ve talked with males who have been actively considering suicide, I’ve celebrated with guys who hit their targets, I’ve seen males turning into dads and go on to set an instance for his or her households.

I’ve additionally scored quite a few really world class targets that must be spoken of alongside the achievements of minnows like Ronaldo and Messi. In every occasion I’ve realized extra about what it’s to be a person and I hope that it’s made me extra compassionate to males in all conditions.  

Why do you suppose MAN v FAT works as a programme to help males of all ages?

I usually suppose again to the early conversations we had with public well being departments who stated that they beloved the venture however hated the identify. “Fats” was a really soiled phrase. They stated it was shaming and regressive. To me “MAN v FAT” at all times felt like the fitting technique to phrase the state of affairs.

The blokes on the leagues knew they have been fats, they didn’t like that and so they needed to do one thing about it. So, I feel there’s one thing concerning the honesty of the beginning place that units the tone for what comes subsequent. When you’re trustworthy, it places everybody on the identical degree and I at all times felt that it truly diminished the disgrace males felt. We have been all the identical – all of us needed the identical factor – why not simply personal it

Points round male well being and wellbeing aren’t going away – what are the subsequent steps for MAN v FAT and others like us to make significant contribution and modifications to the well being agenda nationally (and internationally)?

That’s an fascinating query with an unpalatable reply. I consider that as a species we want an trustworthy dialog round what occurred to meals. An excessive amount of management and energy has handed to supermarkets and meals producers. Consequently, they promote merchandise which can be addictive and that create an obesogenic setting with little in the best way of oversight.

For my part, we want a motion that recognises what has been executed to meals, rejects what’s being provided to us and units forth a means that we may be freed from the affect of the meals trade. Sadly, you are inclined to sound like a swivel-eyed loon when outlining simply how pernicious the affect of meals producers has develop into. 

Sum up MAN v FAT and its neighborhood in three phrases

There’s at all times hope.

*The golden moob was an early prize for the winner of the most important loser on the MAN v FAT Soccer leagues

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