Incentives For Weight Loss Research Articles

Cash incentives for weight loss work only for males

AbstractWhen governments and healthcare providers offer people cash rewards for weight loss, an assumption is that cash rewards are versatile, working equally well for everyone – for example, for all genders. No research to date has tested for gender difference in response to financial incentives for weight loss. We show in an randomized controlled trial (RCT) (n = 472) that cash incentives for weight loss only worked for males. The RCT consisted of a 3-month, self-administered online weight loss program. Offering a US$150 incentive for a 5% weight loss more than tripled the proportion of males who were successful, compared with a no-incentive Control arm (20.9% vs. 5.9%). On average, males in the incentive arm lost 2.4% of weight over 3 months, compared with 0.9% in the Control arm. The same incentive had no such effect on females: The average weight loss in the incentive arm was not significantly different than in the Control (1.03% and 1.44%, respectively), nor was the proportion of participants meeting the 5% weight loss goal (8.6% and 8.7%, respectively). This study shows that males respond better than females to financial incentives for weight loss.

The Efficacy of Using Financial Incentives to Change Unhealthy Behaviors Among a Rural Chronically Ill and Uninsured Population

To measure the effects of weight loss, medication compliance, and physical activity financial incentives delivered by health providers to uninsured patients. Full factorial (orthogonal) randomized design. Primary care clinic in rural Mississippi. A total of 544 uninsured adult patients with diabetes or hypertension. All patients were enrolled in the clinic's care management program. Patients randomly received 0, 1, 2, or 3 financial incentives. Incentives for weight loss, medication compliance, and physical activity were awarded quarterly over 1 year. Weight loss, medication compliance, physical activity, and 6 clinical measures related to diabetes and hypertension. Cross-section and panel data regression models were used to compare outcomes for those who received incentives to those who did not receive incentives and to measure interaction effects. Effects of the weight loss incentive were positive but statistically insignificant (-3.7 lb; P = .106), while medication compliance was high in both the treatment and control groups (+2.37 percentage points; P = .411), and physical activity take-up was very limited. Effects on clinical outcomes, as well as interaction effects between incentives, were mixed and generally statistically insignificant. This study found little to no evidence that these financial incentives had beneficial effects on the incentivized behaviors in this setting. Likewise, the study found no effects on clinical outcomes nor any systematic evidence of interaction effects between 2 and 3 incentives.

Stages of change and patient activation measure scores in the context of incentive-based health interventions.

To determine if two widely used behavioral change measures-Stages of Change (SoC) and Patient Activation Measure (PAM)-correlate with each other, are affected by financial incentives, or predict positive outcomes in the context of incentive-based health interventions. Secondary analysis of two randomized controlled trials of incentives for weight loss and for improved diabetes self-monitoring. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Newark, New Jersey. A total of 132 obese and 75 diabetic adults enrolled in one of two trials. MEASURES . SoC and PAM scores; weight loss and usage rate of diabetes self-monitoring equipment. Multiple regression; Kruskal-Wallis test. We found no association between baseline SoC and PAM scores in either study (p = .30 and p = .89). Regression models showed no association between baseline PAM score and SoC and subsequent outcomes for either study (weight loss study: PAM: p = .14, SoC: p = .1; diabetes study: PAM: p = .45, SoC: p = .61). Change in PAM score and SoC among participants in the intervention groups did not differ by study arm or among participants with better outcomes. CONCLUSION . PAM score and SoC may not effectively predict success or monitor progress among individuals enrolled in incentive-based interventions.

Insurance Coverage and Incentives for Weight Loss Among Adults With Metabolic Syndrome

To describe how insured adults with metabolic syndrome respond to various options for insurance coverage and financial incentives for weight management. Insured adults meeting the criteria for the metabolic syndrome were randomly identified through automated medical records and invited to participate in a telephone-based survey of the acceptability of various weight management programs-with different financial incentives and insurance coverage options-in a health maintenance organization. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the relationship between participant characteristics and the odds of being motivated by incentives. One hundred and fifty-three adults with the metabolic syndrome completed the survey (i.e., 79% of telephone contacts). A hypothetical increase in insurance coverage from 10 to 100% led to a threefold increase among women and a sevenfold increase among men in the proportion reporting they were "very interested" in enrolling in a weight management program within the next 30 days. Most participants (76% of women and 57% of men) supported a health plan-sponsored financial incentive program tied to weight loss, and 41% believed such a program would motivate them to lose weight. The mean financial incentive proposed for a 15-pound weight loss was $591 (median: $125). Although weight loss is an effective treatment for metabolic syndrome, standard health insurance rarely covers intensive behavioral treatment. The results of this study suggest that providing full insurance coverage and financial incentives for weight management increases the interest in participating in obesity treatment programs. Further research should determine how full coverage and incentives affect participation rates, long-term body weight changes, and costs.