27/10/2005

Legendary Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Big Brother babe Kate Lawler and sexy popstar Rachel Stevens are among the stars who appear in the new issue of FIT magazine - the groundbreaking NHS publication aimed at getting healthy lifestyle messages across to younger men.

With local health concerns including binge drinking, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and obesity, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Primary Care Trust is publishing the magazine as a creative solution to the problem of communicating with young and underprivileged groups.

Dr Foster, the independent health information company, recognised that traditional methods of communication - leaflets left in doctors' surgeries - were largely ignored. With FIT, the NHS and local Primary Care Trusts have got smart about how they approach young people.

FIT also contains important local health service information, such as where to find help to quit smoking and where to get advice and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

The magazine will be distributed free of charge through local retailers, colleges and clubs over the next couple of weeks. It will also be delivered direct to homes in the PCT's regeneration areas (Hesters Way and Springbank, St Pauls, Oakley (Whaddon), St Marks inCheltenham and Priors Park in Tewkesbury, where we know larger numbers of younger people live.

Jose Mourinho grants a rare interview to FIT, talking about his respect for Britain's Sunday League footballers: "I have a lot of respect for them if they take care of themselves," he says. "If they keep fit, you could say they have a better character and personality than the professional footballer."

Rachel Stevens, who has appeared in a sexy new video to raise awareness of the dangers of testicular cancer, jokes "Men have their hands down their trousers a lot, but I doubt they're feeling for warning signs."

FIT also contains important local health service information. Young men can find out how to get help quitting smoking, how to get tested for sexually transmitted infections, and where to find help if they're worried about their drinking.

Independent evaluation of FIT magazine found it successfully encourages young men to make changes in their behaviour. Readers, health professionals and the police also acclaimed the first issue of FIT

FIT Editor Tom Whitwell said: "There's not much point in trying to preach to younger men - encouraging them to change their behaviour around things like smoking, drinking less and taking more exercise needs to be more subtle than that. What FIT does is convey important health information but with some familiar faces and a few laughs thrown in."

Steve Hams, Assistant Director of Public Health, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCT, said: "We decided to produce FIT magazine with Dr Foster as we realise the importance of tailoring health messages to different target audiences. Younger men are notoriously difficult for the NHS to engage with. FIT speaks to them using language and images that both inform and entertain. Targeting young men in this way is proven to be an effective means of getting our health and wellness messages across. "