Opportunity 

Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States due to its prevalence and connection to serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.   

Identifying effective strategies for treating obesity is a clinical challenge and a public health priority. Although various approaches exist to help individuals achieve initial weight loss, weight loss maintenance has proven much more difficult.  

Intervention 

A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania leveraged Way to Health to compare the efficacy of different financial incentives for weight loss maintenance. 

Approximately 200 adults enrolled in the WW program (formerly Weight Watchers) were recruited to participate in the trial. All participants were given a wireless weight scale and randomly assigned to one of the groups below. 

1. Daily self-weighing and text messaging feedback (control), 

2. Daily self-weighing and text messaging feedback combined with a direct monetary incentive (direct payment),  

3. Or daily self-weighing and text messaging feedback combined with a lottery-based monetary incentive (lottery). 

The intervention lasted six months, and all participants were observed without intervention for a six-month follow-up period.

Impact 

Compared with the active control of daily texting based on daily home weighing, lottery-based and direct monetary incentives provided no additional benefit for weight loss maintenance.