Impact of Financial Incentives on Physical Activity in Adults
Current Physical Activity Trends
Recent research has highlighted the significant impact of financial incentives on promoting physical activity among adults. In the United States, over 80% of adults fail to meet the recommended daily physical activity levels. When including children aged six and older, a staggering 80.2 million individuals are categorized as inactive. This lack of physical activity contributes to rising obesity rates and related health issues, incurring an annual medical cost of $190.2 billion.
Technological Assistance in Tracking Activity
Advancements in technology have simplified the process of monitoring physical activity. Devices such as pedometers, smartphones, and heart rate monitors enable users to easily track their activity levels. Additionally, various food tracking applications facilitate the monitoring of caloric intake. Numerous employer health initiatives and certain state Medicaid programs now offer financial incentives aimed at encouraging health and wellness activities.
Challenges in Meeting Activity Recommendations
Despite the availability of tracking tools, many individuals still struggle to meet the recommended levels of physical activity and caloric intake. To enhance motivation, some programs have started integrating financial incentives to encourage adults to increase their physical activity.
Research Study Overview
A study conducted by researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine explored the effects of varying financial incentives on adult physical activity, and the findings were published in JAMA Network. The researchers divided 3,515 participants into four distinct groups to assess the effectiveness of different incentive structures.
Study Methodology
The physical activity of participants was monitored using pedometers over three weeks prior to the intervention, two weeks during the intervention, and three weeks afterward. The control group received a stable daily incentive of one cent per 1,000 steps. The other groups received daily rates of twenty cents per 1,000 steps, distributed in three different methods: a constant rate, an increasing rate, and a decreasing rate. Participants were reminded of the study through emails sent before and midway through the two-week period.
Findings from the Study
Results indicated that participants receiving a constant incentive logged 306.7 more steps than the control group, while the decreasing rate group recorded 96.9 more steps. The increasing rate group, however, showed no significant difference from the control group.
Statistical analysis revealed that participants in the higher incentive groups averaged 135 additional steps per day. The constant incentive group not only logged the most steps during the study but also continued this trend for one week post-study. The decreasing incentive group followed, with the increasing incentive group demonstrating the least activity compared to the control.
Conclusions and Future Research
Researchers suggest that the success of constant incentives may be attributed to their simplicity and ease of comprehension. In contrast, participants in the variable incentive groups may have found the incentive structures confusing or perceived them as unfair. Further investigation is warranted to explore the underlying reasons for these outcomes.
The study indicates that implementing financial incentives can effectively promote physical activity among adults. Participation in health programs that offer financial benefits can contribute positively to overall health outcomes.
References
Bachireddy C, Joung A, John L et al. Effect of Different Financial Incentive Structures on Promoting Physical Activity Among Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(8):e199863. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9863.
Facts & Statistics. HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/facts-and-statistics/index.html. Published 2019. Accessed September 6, 2019.
Mitchell M, Orstad S, Biswas A et al. Financial incentives for physical activity in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2019:bjsports-2019-100633. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-100633.