When people struggle with obesity, finding the right motivation to stick with a new routine is a major hurdle. A large review of 29 different studies looked at how offering money or other financial rewards affects weight loss. The researchers found that these incentives do work to help people lose weight during the period when the rewards are being offered.
However, the results show a catch. While the weight loss was significant during the incentive phase, it did not stay significant once the rewards stopped. The study also found that the results were stronger when the rewards were tied to multiple goals or physical outcomes rather than just simple lifestyle changes.
Another interesting finding involved how these rewards were delivered. When financial incentives were paired with interactive coaching or techniques, it worked much better than when they were paired with passive instructions. Because there is limited data on what happens after the rewards end, it is still unclear how to make these programs work for the long haul.
