Paying small sums for logging raised people's own drive and their weight loss

The study

1. 01

   Who took part

   153 overweight adults aged 18 to 70 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. About 80 in 100 were women, and they were about 46 on average; 79 got payments and 74 did not.

2. 02

   What they did

   Both groups did a 3-month web weight-loss course with weekly lessons and daily logging of food, exercise and weight. The paid group also got $1 to $10 a week, up to $45 in all, for logging on at least 5 days. They could also win cash in prize draws if they lost enough weight.

3. 03

   What happened

   At 3 months the paid group had more of their own drive and had lost about 6 kg, against 4 kg. Their drive was not measured at the start, and by 12 months it had dropped about equally in both groups. Some of the paper's numbers on who stayed don't add up.

What the study found

1. HelpedMotivation

   At 3 months, people paid small weekly sums for logging had more of their own drive than unpaid people.

   • Rule: Get a reward or payment for doing ittested
   • Action: Track your progressused
   • Rule: Record it yourself by handused

   Randomised trial of 153 overweight adults in Rhode Island, USA · vs the same web programme without payments · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

2. HelpedGoals

   Small payments and prize draws helped people lose about 6 kg in 3 months, against 4 kg without them.

   • Rule: Get a reward or payment for doing ittested
   • Action: Track your progressused

   Randomised trial of 153 overweight adults in Rhode Island, USA · vs the same web programme without payments · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

Source