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A Theoretically Grounded Systematic Review of Material Incentives for Weight Loss: Implications for Interventions

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Providing material incentives for weight loss is a class of intervention strategies that has received considerable attention; however, the effectiveness of this class of strategies is uncertain. Attending to distinctions among incentive strategies may clarify our understanding of prior work and inform the design of future interventions.

Purpose

A theoretical framework is proposed that distinguishes between four classes of incentive strategies and is used to organize randomized controlled trials of material incentives for weight loss.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted.

Results

Findings were mixed with regards to the overall efficacy of material incentives for weight loss. Three of the four proposed incentive categories are represented in the literature. Heterogeneous methods were used across studies rendering comparisons between studies difficult.

Conclusions

Definitive conclusions about the usefulness of material incentives for weight loss could not be drawn. A theoretically grounded approach to designing and testing incentive strategies is encouraged.

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Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose

Author Note

No external funding was received for this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Rachel J. Burns B.A.S. & Alexander J. Rothman Ph.D.

  2. School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Angela S. Donovan M.S. & Emily A. Finch M.A.

  3. Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Ronald T. Ackermann M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.

  4. School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Robert W. Jeffery Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Rachel J. Burns B.A.S.
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  2. Angela S. Donovan M.S.
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  3. Ronald T. Ackermann M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.
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  4. Emily A. Finch M.A.
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  5. Alexander J. Rothman Ph.D.
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  6. Robert W. Jeffery Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rachel J. Burns B.A.S..

Electronic Supplementary Material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Table 2

Incentive, treatment components, and key findings for positive reinforcement, fixed-ratio schedule studies. (DOC 53 kb)

Table 3

Incentive, treatment components, and key findings for positive reinforcement, variable-ratio schedule studies. (DOC 39 kb)

Table 4

Incentive, treatment components, and key findings for negative reinforcement, fixed-ratio schedule studies. (DOC 60 kb)

Table 5

Incentive, treatment components, and key findings for combination studies. (DOC 45 kb)

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Burns, R.J., Donovan, A.S., Ackermann, R.T. et al. A Theoretically Grounded Systematic Review of Material Incentives for Weight Loss: Implications for Interventions. ann. behav. med. 44, 375–388 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9403-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9403-4

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