Betting on Weight Loss - Is it a Gamble?

Posted on Jul 10th 2009 9:00AM by Bethany Sanders

Photo: Lisa Kong, sxc.hu

Think you can't lose weight? I bet you can. Let's put money on it -- or not. When it comes to money being a motivator for weight loss, the jury is decidedly out.

Earlier this year, we heard about studies that found that some people -- especially men -- were motivated to lose weight when it meant making or losing money. Sites like StickK.com and FatBet allow people to put money where their mouths are -- betting on their ability to take the weight off for good, and workplace bets were becoming popular too. But a new study suggests that when it comes to getting serious about weight loss, money just isn't a factor.

More than 2,400 people -- all overweight or obese -- enrolled in workplace weight loss programs were studied. One group was offered $60 for maintaining weight loss for one year. A second group of folks paid $100, with the promise it would be returned once they lost 5 percent of their weight. A third was told they'd receive $20 just for staying in the program for 12 months.

What they found was that -- meh -- the money really didn't matter. The group that lost the most weight, 3.6 pounds, was the one with participants who paid $100. But weight loss in the other groups was modest -- 1.4 pounds -- at best.

Perhaps the problem was that researchers didn't offer enough money. After all, weight loss is hard work. It takes dedication, mental and physical discipline, time and effort. Sixty dollars? No way. Ante up and maybe we'll talk. Better yet, maybe the wiser idea is to find motivation in a more important, lasting source -- yourself, your health, your future.