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Low-Income Participants' Preference Between Financial Incentives for Behavioral Goals vs Weight Loss Targets and
Akshitha Adhiyaman1,2, Melanie Jay2, Un Young Rebecca Chung3
1Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP
|May 15, 2024
Summary
Matching preferred financial incentive designs in weight loss programs did not significantly boost adherence for all behaviors. While some adherence improved, others did not, suggesting preference alone may not be the key driver for sustained engagement.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Health Psychology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Financial incentives can motivate behavior change in weight management.
- Understanding participant preference for incentive design is crucial for optimizing interventions.
- Previous research has explored various incentive structures, but their impact on adherence based on preference needs further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between matching participants' preferred financial incentive design and their adherence to behavioral goals in a weight loss intervention.
- To explore participant preferences for goal-directed versus outcome-based financial incentives.
- To analyze how preference matching influences behavioral adherence in obesity treatment.
Main Methods:
- Secondary quantitative analysis of data from the Financial Incentives foR Weight Reduction (FIReWoRk) intervention.
- Incorporation of qualitative survey data to understand reasons for incentive preference.
- Logistic regression analysis to assess associations between preference, demographics, psychosocial factors, and behavioral adherence at 6 months.
Main Results:
- Over 60% of participants preferred goal-directed financial incentives, often citing their structured nature.
- Married participants were more likely to prefer goal-directed incentives.
- Matching preferred goal-directed incentives improved adherence for program attendance and self-weighing, but not for dietary or physical activity tracking compared to matched outcome-based incentives.
Conclusions:
- Matching participants to their preferred financial incentive design may not universally enhance behavioral goal adherence in weight loss interventions.
- While preference matching showed benefits for specific behaviors like attendance and self-weighing, its impact is not uniform across all adherence measures.
- Further research is needed to identify key factors beyond preference that drive sustained adherence in financially incentivized weight management programs.
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