Lose Weight, Collect Payment

“Could financial incentives that encourage fat people to lose weight solve the obesity crisis?” Experiments in paying people to lose weight have met with success in the U.S. and U.K. “‘Nothing to date has been effective, so suddenly this idea is coming to prominence—in parallel with the rise of behavioural economics and the notion of incentivising people with money,’ says Theresa Marteau of King’s College London, a leading authority on financial incentives and health. The concept is not only applicable to obesity. Harvard University is running a large trial offering rewards for school attendance. And in Britain, new laws have created financial rewards for installing green energy in homes and businesses.”