GENERAL NUTRITION COMPANIES INC
SC 13G/A, 1999-02-12
FOOD STORES
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                               (Amendment No. 1)*


                        General Nutrition Companies Inc.
                                (Name of Issuer)

                          COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    37047F103
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                December 31, 1998
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

                                                     [x]      Rule 13d-1(b)
                                                     [ ]      Rule 13d-1(c)
                                                     [ ]      Rule 13d-1(d)


    *The  remainder  of this  cover  page  shall be filled  out for a  reporting
person's  initial  filing on this  form with  respect  to the  subject  class of
securities,  and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

    The  information  required in the  remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed"  for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other  provisions of the Act  (however,  see
the Notes).

<PAGE>

1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.
   13-3131718

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) [ ]

                                                (b) [ ]


3  SEC USE ONLY


4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   New York


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            2,446,375 shares
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          1,375,075 shares
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       2,785,975 shares

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       2,293,925 shares

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

         5,079,900  shares  (includes  shares  beneficially  owned by FLA  Asset
         Management Inc. and FLA Advisers L.L.C.)

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

                                                    [ ]
11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    7.4%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, CO


<PAGE>

1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   FLA Asset Management Inc.
   13-29256626

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) [ ]

                                                (b) [ ]


3  SEC USE ONLY


4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   Delaware


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            None
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          372,325 shares
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       None

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       1,291,175 shares

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

         1,291,175 shares

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

                                                    [ ]
11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    1.9%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, CO



<PAGE>

1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   Forstmann-Leff Associates L.P.
   13-3717850

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) [ ]

                                                (b) [ ]


3  SEC USE ONLY



4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   Delaware


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            None
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          None
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       None

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       None

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

         None

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

                                                    [ ]
11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    0%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, PN


<PAGE>

1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   FLA Advisers L.L.C.
   13-3942422

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) [ ]

                                                (b) [ ]


3  SEC USE ONLY



4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   New York


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            None
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          1,002,750 shares
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       None

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       1,002,750 shares

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

         1,002,750 shares

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

                                                    [ ]
11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    1.5%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, OO


<PAGE>

Item 1(a)         NAME OF ISSUER:

         General Nutrition Companies Inc.

Item 1(b)         ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:

         300 Sixth Avenue
         Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Item 2(a)         NAME OF PERSON FILING:

         See Item 1 of the cover pages attached hereto

Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office, or if none, residence:

         590 Madison Avenue
         New York, New York  10022

Item 2(c)         CITIZENSHIP:

         See Item 4 of the cover pages attached hereto

Item 2(d)         TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:

         Common Stock, par value $0.01

Item 2(e)         CUSIP NUMBER:

                  37047F103

Item 3              Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc., a New York corporation, is
                    a registered  investment  adviser  under  Section 203 of the
                    Investment  Advisers  Act of 1940  (the  "Act").  FLA  Asset
                    Management  Inc.,  a Delaware  corporation,  is a registered
                    investment  adviser  under  the  Act  and  a  subsidiary  of
                    Forstmann-Leff  Associates  Inc.  Forstmann- Leff Associates
                    L.P.,  a  Delaware  limited  partnership,  is  a  registered
                    investment  adviser under the Act. FLA Asset Management Inc.
                    is the general partner of Forstmann-Leff Associates L.P. FLA
                    Advisers L.L.C., a New York limited liability company,  is a
                    registered  investment  adviser under the Act whose managing
                    members are principals of Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.

Item 4            OWNERSHIP:

         (a)      Amount beneficially owned:
                  See Item 9 of the cover pages attached hereto

         (b)      Percent of Class:
                  See Item 11 of the cover pages attached hereto

         (c)  See Items 5 through 8  of the cover pages attached hereto



<PAGE>



Item 5            OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS:

         Not Applicable

Item 6          OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON:

                  Various  clients of the  reporting  persons  have the right to
                  receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends  from,
                  or the proceeds  from the sale of, the Common Stock of General
                  Nutrition  Companies,  Inc.  No one  client's  interest in the
                  Common Stock of General Nutrition Companies, Inc. is more than
                  five percent of the total outstanding Common Stock.

Item 7            IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION  OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
                  ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING
                  COMPANY:

                  Not Applicable

Item 8            IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:

                  Not Applicable

Item 9            NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP:

                  Not Applicable

Item 10           CERTIFICATION:

                  By signing  below I certify  that, to the best of my knowledge
                  and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and
                  are  held in the  ordinary  course  of  business  and were not
                  acquired  and are not  held  for the  purpose  of or with  the
                  effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of
                  the  securities  and  were  not  acquired  and are not held in
                  connection with or as a participant in any transaction  having
                  that purpose or effect.


<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

February 11, 1999

                                            FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES INC.


                                            By:     /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Executive Vice President



                                            FLA ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.


                                            By:    /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Executive Vice President



                                            FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES L.P.


                                            By:  FLA Asset Management, Inc.
                                                     General Partner

                                            By:   /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Executive Vice President


                                            FLA ADVISERS L.L.C.


                                            By:   /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Managing Member


<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit A


                                    AGREEMENT

         The undersigned,  Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc., FLA Asset Management,
Inc.,  Forstmann-Leff  Associates L.P. and FLA Advisers  L.L.C.,  agree that the
statement to which this exhibit is appended is filed on behalf of each of them.


February 11, 1999

                                            FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES INC.


                                            By:     /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Executive Vice President




                                            FLA ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.


                                            By:    /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Executive Vice President


                                            FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES L.P.


                                            By:      FLA Asset Management Inc.
                                                              General Partner

                                            By:   /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Executive Vice President



                                            FLA ADVISERS L.L.C.


                                            By:   /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                            Peter A. Lusk
                                            Managing Member



<PAGE>




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