Small Monetary Incentives Lead to Greater Adherence in a Weight Loss Program

Abstract

Purpose Understand how weekly monetary incentives for dietary tracking and/or weight loss impact 6-month weight loss behavioral adherence. Design Secondary analysis of participants randomized to one of four conditions in a behavioral weight loss intervention: incentives for dietary tracking, incentives for weight loss, both, or none. Setting Participants were asked to self-weigh at least twice weekly, log food and drink in a mobile application five days weekly, and attend bi-weekly, group-based classes. Sample Data from (n = 91) adults with obesity who completed a 24-week behavioral weight loss intervention of whom 88% were female and 74% Non-Hispanic White, were analyzed. Measures Non-adherence to weight and dietary self-monitoring was defined as the second week of not meeting criteria. Class attendance was also tracked. Analysis Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to examine differences across the four conditions. Results Participants incentivized for dietary self-monitoring had an average 15.8 weeks (SE:1.2) until the first non-adherent week compared to 5.9 weeks (SE:0.8) for those not incentivized for dietary self-monitoring ( P < .01). Those incentivized for weight loss had an average 18.0 weeks (SE:1.02) of self-weighing until the first non-adherent week compared to 13.5 weeks (SE:1.3) for those not incentivized for weight loss ( P = .02). No difference in class attendance was observed. Conclusions Incentivizing behaviors associated with weight loss improved adherence to those behaviors and does not appear to spill over to non-incentivized behaviors.