Paying obese people cash to lose weight doubles their rate of fat loss - Daily Mail

Over six months, up to half of the people given cash incentives hit that target compared with 22 percent of study participants given no monetary motivation. .

It shows the group offered no cash incentives (black line), cash incentives linked to adhering to behavior changes (orange) and cash incentives linked to total weight lost (blue).

But only two were offered cash incentives to get them to hit the target of losing five percent of their weight, or about 10lbs (4.5kg) in six months.

In the other group — named the 'goal-directed' group — participants' cash incentives were linked to how much weight they lost.

In month one, they were offered $50 for losing 1.5 to 2.5 percent of their weight or $100 if they lost more than 2.5 percent.

In months two to three, they were offered $50 a month if they lost 2.5 to 5 percent of their weight or $100 a month if they lost more than five percent.

And in months four to six, they were paid $100 a month for losing 2.5 to 5 percent of their weight or $150 a month for more than five percent.

All percentages of weight loss were compared to the weight at the beginning of the program.

Results showed those offered money lost twice as much weight as those offered no cash incentives on average.

Dr Jay said: 'Our study provides firm evidence that offering incentives, especially cash rewards, even if only for six months, helps people of limited means struggling with obesity to lose weight

The outcome-based group maintained their weight loss, and those who got no cash incentive lost another 1.1lbs (0.5kg)

Some 61 participants dropped out or stopped attending appointments within the first six months for the goal-based group, compared to 51 in the incentive group and 54 in the no cash incentives group