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Financial incentives motivated weight loss
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SAN FRANCISCO — Modest financial incentives offered to overweight or obese patients were associated with significant weight loss.
“Previous studies have shown promising evidence that financial incentives can help us help ourselves. But although we know people tend to lose weight with short-term financial incentives, they seem to gain it back after the incentives are removed, Steven L. Driver, MD, MPH, a resident physician of internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said during a press conference.”
Therefore, Driver and colleagues conducted a two-by-two factorial study, randomly assigning 100 healthy adult employees or dependents (aged 18 to 63 years; BMI 30 to 39.9) to one of four weight loss groups: education (Live it!: with and without financial incentives); or education combined with a structured behavior modification plan (Lose it!: with and without financial incentives).
Data indicate a significant number of patients in the financial incentive groups (62%) maintained participation and lost more weight vs. non-incentive groups (26%; P<.001). There was a mean weight loss of 9.08 lbs. for the combined incentive groups and 2.34 lbs. for the combined non-incentive groups. They estimated the effect of incentives was 6.5 lbs. (P<.001).
If patients met their weight loss goal of 4 lbs. per month, payments of $20 were awarded, whereas those who failed to meet the goal paid a penalty fee of $20. The penalty fee was entered into a larger bonus which was later awarded to patients who completed the study.
Despite these impressive findings, larger studies are being designed by the researchers to determine the impact of financial incentives in this patient population. – by Samantha Costa
For more information:
Driver SL. Abstract #1274M-12. Presented at: American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions; March 9-11, 2013; San Francisco.
Disclosure: Driver reports being a stockholder for Gym-Pact.
Perspective
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Vera A. Bittner, MD
The authors demonstrated that financial incentives facilitated weight loss. I think the investigators should be commended for testing such an intervention with a rigorous experimental design. We clearly need more data to determine how to optimize utilization of such programs. I am concerned that many such initiatives are already in place without appropriate efficacy data. We don't know what particular incentive will work for which individual and how individuals perceive punitive aspects of such programs.
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