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Small cash rewards for big losers : experimental insights into the fight against the obesity epidemic

Author

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  • Augurzky,Boris
  • Bauer,Thomas K.
  • Reichert,Arndt Rudiger
  • Schmidt,Christoph M.
  • Tauchmann,Harald

Abstract

This paper examines the sustainability of weight loss achieved through cash rewards and, for the first time, the potential of monetary incentives to prevent weight cycling. In a three period randomized controlled trial, about 700 obese persons were assigned to two treatment groups, which were promised different cash rewards contingent on the achievement of an individually assigned target weight, and to a control group. Successful participants were subsequently allocated to two treatment groups offered different monetary incentives for maintaining the previously achieved target weight and to a control group. This is the first experiment of this kind that finds sustainable effects of weight loss rewards on the body weight of the obese even 18 months after the rewards were removed. Additional incentives to maintain an achieved body weight improve the sustainability of weight loss only while are in place.

Suggested Citation

  • Augurzky,Boris & Bauer,Thomas K. & Reichert,Arndt Rudiger & Schmidt,Christoph M. & Tauchmann,Harald, 2015. "Small cash rewards for big losers : experimental insights into the fight against the obesity epidemic," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7339, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7339
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    Cited by:

    1. Tauchmann Harald & Wübker Ansgar, 2023. "Weight Loss and Sexual Activity in Adult Obese Individuals: Establishing a Causal Link," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 243(6), pages 663-698, December.
    2. Lucas Hafner & Harald Tauchmann & Ansgar Wübker, 2021. "Does moderate weight loss affect subjective health perception in obese individuals? Evidence from field experimental data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 2293-2333, October.
    3. Paloyo, Alfredo R. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Reuss-Borst, Monika & Tauchmann, Harald, 2015. "Who responds to financial incentives for weight loss? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 44-52.
    4. Eilers Lea & Pilny Adam, 2018. "Data from a Randomized Experiment: Financial Incentives on Weight Loss (RWI-Obesity)," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 238(6), pages 591-600, October.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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