Gifts and Rewards Used as an Incentive to Lose Weight

Obesity is still considered as one of the most problematic epidemics today. Most importantly are all the health risks that are advertised daily about the ill effects of being overweight and yet this is not considered a good enough reason to diet. However if you were to offer someone a certain reward for dieting many will jump in to gain the prize. I think it is great to use incentives to help people in obtaining a goal but my concern with offering someone a monetary prize, a computer or any other enticing device is if this will only be a short term solution.

The other day I happened to be in particular job site where the human resources director told me that they were going to hold a "biggest loser" contest. She said that it was really successful in the past. I proceeded to ask her how did the "biggest loser" make out and she stated that he has gained all his weight back, but that he is anxious to try again since this year they will be giving away an MP3 player. Last year he won $150 and spent it right away so he prefers a prize instead of money.

In my mind I can't see the logic in this. I only see this as an encouragement to do exactly what we are taught not do which is the so called "yo-yo dieting". Yet everywhere I seem to turn there are advertisements in all different type of work locations offering some incentive to lose weight by joining a club or group. Again this definitely is a great short term solution, but what about helping with the long term problem. How about a gym membership for a year and if the weight stays off renewing the membership? I can see this as being a more productive solution to the problem here. However I don't think many would take this offer. It is not enticing enough to want to keep the weight off.

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association it was noted that financial incentives motivated people to lose weight and that these incentives produced significant weight loss during the time of the so called "contest", but the longer term use of incentives should be evaluated. This to me is really important because as I see it is that once the incentive is gone so are the individuals.

I voiced my concern to the human resources department at this particular facility and basically I was told that it is impossible to follow through with all the individuals involved because it wouldn't be fair to do so. I can only see this as a game being played no different then picking out a lottery ticket with the prize on it and giving it to that individual.

If the health effects of obesity are not a concern or a reason to lose the weight then why should keeping the weight off after winning a one time prize be. To all the successful "biggest losers" out there good for you and you should be recognized to know that it was more than just an enticement to help with the weight loss.

Sources:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/300/22/2631