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The Mayo Clinic conducted a study involving 100 subjects and found people lost a lot more weight when a financial incentive was involved.
This study lasted one year, and they offered obese subjects $20 a month to lose at least 4 pounds (or an agreed amount of pounds), but if they didn't lose the weight they had to pay a fine of $20. A control group got no rewards or penalties, and in the end they lost a lot less weight than the incentived group.
In downtown New Orleans recently I asked people why it works so well. A group told me, "Money, money, money. Money makes the world go 'round!"
Not only did the study find people did better if they were rewarded for their weight loss, it also helped people stick with the program longer. "The take-home message is that sustained weight loss can be achieved by financial incentives," Dr. Driver of the Mayo Clinic says. "The financial incentives can improve results, and improve compliance and adherence."
Maybe it's time for employers or health insurance plans to start ponying up the incentives. A lot of people seem to think that would work, as this woman put it, "I think if they started with employers that would be a good idea. And employees are always looking for a higher salary so if you did that, to all keep them healthier that would be a good incentive to work hard and get healthy."
The men I talked to in the CBD seemed to think gaining $20 a month wouldn't be much of an incentive, but on the other hand they say, paying that $20 a month would be painful, and tough to admit to their friends.
This study lasted one year, and they offered obese subjects $20 a month to lose at least 4 pounds (or an agreed amount of pounds), but if they didn't lose the weight they had to pay a fine of $20. A control group got no rewards or penalties, and in the end they lost a lot less weight than the incentived group.
In downtown New Orleans recently I asked people why it works so well. A group told me, "Money, money, money. Money makes the world go 'round!"
Not only did the study find people did better if they were rewarded for their weight loss, it also helped people stick with the program longer. "The take-home message is that sustained weight loss can be achieved by financial incentives," Dr. Driver of the Mayo Clinic says. "The financial incentives can improve results, and improve compliance and adherence."
Maybe it's time for employers or health insurance plans to start ponying up the incentives. A lot of people seem to think that would work, as this woman put it, "I think if they started with employers that would be a good idea. And employees are always looking for a higher salary so if you did that, to all keep them healthier that would be a good incentive to work hard and get healthy."
The men I talked to in the CBD seemed to think gaining $20 a month wouldn't be much of an incentive, but on the other hand they say, paying that $20 a month would be painful, and tough to admit to their friends.
