JAMA Pediatr
Do financial incentives boost weight loss in adolescents with severe obesity?
For adolescents with severe obesity, meal replacement therapy (MRT) combined with financial incentives (FI) yielded a greater reduction in BMI and total body fat mass than MRT alone, according to a new randomized clinical trial.
The study
- The effect of MRT plus FI vs. MRT alone was evaluated in 126 adolescents with severe obesity (female, 57.9%; mean age, 15.3 years). Half of the participants received MRT plus Fis and the other half received only MRT.
- The primary end point was mean BMI percentage change from randomization to 52 weeks. Secondary end points included total body fat and cardiometabolic risk factors. Cost-effectiveness was also evaluated.
Key findings
- Mean BMI reduction −5.9 percentage points greater at 52 weeks in the MRT plus FI group vs. the MRT group.
- A greater reduction in mean total body fat mass by −4.8 kg was observed in the MRT plus FI group. MRT plus FI was also more cost-effective (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, $39,178 per quality-adjusted life year) compared with MRT alone. No significant differences in cardiometabolic risk factors or unhealthy weight-control behaviors were observed between groups.
Source:
Gross AC, et al. (2024, June 17). JAMA Pediatr. Financial Incentives and Treatment Outcomes in Adolescents With Severe Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38884967/