The Weigh Forward, Financial Incentives for Maintenance of Weight Loss

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Completed

Conditions: Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Escalating Lottery

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT02538783

1R01AG045045-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

823005

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of financial incentives in improving and maintaining weight loss.

Full description

The study will evaluate the effectiveness of financial incentives in improving maintenance of weight loss. The investigators propose a 2-arm randomized controlled trial in which 258 participants who lose at least 5 kgs in a weight loss program will be randomized to one of the following: 1) daily weigh-ins and weekly feedback, 2) daily weigh-ins,weekly feedback, and a weekly escalating lottery-based financial incentive.

Study participants will be obese volunteers recruited from a major community-based weight loss program (Weight Watchers), who have lost at least 5kg during the 4-6 months prior to enrolling in the study. Upon enrollment, these participants will have an active online membership with Weight Watchers. Among these participants, the following will be assessed: 1. Assess the effectiveness of escalating lottery rewards, relative to the control group, on maintenance of weight loss over the ensuing 6 months (Phase I); 2.The degree to which weight loss is maintained in the intervention group relative to usual care during the 6 months following the cessation of the interventions (Phase II).

During Phase I, incentives will be provided to some study participants (escalating lottery arm) for the first 6 months and participants will be followed for 6 more months to examine effects following cessation of incentives.

Enrollment: 259 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 30 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults age 30-80
• BMI between 30 and 45 prior to starting Weight Watchers
• Have a documented weight loss of at least 5kg in the past 4-6 months before enrolling
• Stable health
• Have an online Weight Watchers membership

Exclusion criteria

• Substance abuse
• Bulimia nervosa or related behaviors
• Pregnancy or breast feeding
• Medical contraindications to counseling about diet, physical activity, or weight reduction
• Unstable mental illness
• Screen positive for pathological gambling on the basis of the 10 item DSM-IV criteria (excluded if meets 5 or more criteria)
• Individuals unable to read consent forms or fill out surveys in English

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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259 participants in 2 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will receive weekly tips and weekly feedback for months 1-6 and will be observed without intervention in Phase II (months 7-12). The weekly feedback will pertain to whether or not the participant met his/her goal of weighing at least 6/7 days. The weekly tips will give information and suggestions on how to make it easier to weigh-in most days of the week. No financial incentive other than for the midpoint and end of study surveys will be given.

Escalating lottery

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive weekly tips and weekly feedback for months 1-6 and will be observed without intervention in Phase II (months 7-12). The weekly feedback will pertain to whether or not the participant met his/her goal of weighing at least 6/7 days. The weekly tips will give information and suggestions on how to make it easier to weigh-in most days of the week. In addition to the incentives for midpoint and end of study surveys, participants who meet their weekly goal (weighing in 6 of 7 days) will be eligible for the weekly lottery during the first 6 months of the study. The expected weekly winning for the lottery is $3.55 in week 1 and this expected value will increase by $0.43 per week for each week the participant achieves their goal of weighing 6/7 days. All incentive earnings will be paid out on a monthly basis.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Escalating Lottery