Small sustainable monetary donation-based incentives to promote physical activity: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Objective: To pilot test two low-cost and thus financially sustainable incentive programs to promote physical activity (PA) among low-active adults in a community setting. Method: In a three-arm randomized controlled trial the effects of small monetary incentives (cash incentives $1/day; n ϭ 25) were compared to charitable donations (donation $1/day; n ϭ 25) and a control group (n ϭ 25) on PA behavior over the course of 12 months in insufficiently active, otherwise healthy adults. Incentives were based on attendance at a local YMCA. Electronic swipe card data from the YMCA was the primary outcome, with self-reported minutes of PA as a secondary outcome. Results: Quantile regression models showed promising effects of treatment allocation on the primary outcome (attendance) adjusted for age and employment. There was a difference between cash incentives and control conditions such that median attendance in the cash incentives condition was 19.24 visits more over 12 months (b ϭ 19.24; SE ϭ 8.26, 95% CI [2.75, 35.72]). There was a similar though only marginally significant trend for the donation condition showing that participants in the donation condition made 11.88 additional visits to the YMCA over 12 months relative to the control condition (b ϭ 11.88, SE ϭ 8.41,95% CI [Ϫ0.91, 28.67]). There was a significant correlation between objectively verified YMCA attendance and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA at the YMCA ( ϭ 0.587) over 12 months. Conclusions: These promising findings provide early support for small monetary incentives and charitable donations for promoting PA in community settings. Further research on the efficacy of using financially sustainable incentive programs, including charitable donations, for PA through community organizations (e.g., YMCAs) seems warranted.

Prosocial Interventions and Health Outcomes

“…Overall, our review identified 25 studies (83.3%) that showed prosocial interventions were associated with improvements in health outcomes 29,32,33, and 5 studies (16.7%) in which they…”

“…were not associated with a significant improvement in health outcomes. 12,30,31,34,57 A total of 22 (73.3%) studies examined the association of such interventions with health outcomes for the givers 12,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][40][41][42]45,[48][49][50][51]53,56,57 ; 17 studies (56.7%) found an association with positive health outcomes for givers 29,32,33,[35][36][37][38][40][41][42]45,[48][49][50][51]53,56 and 5 (16.7%) found no association. 12,30,31,34,57 In contrast, a total of 8 studies (26.7%) also examined the association of prosocial interventions ...…”

“…(5 studies [16.7%] 43,44,46,52,55 ), physical activity (2 [6.7%] 32,33 ), and biomarkers (alanine transaminase, conserved transcriptional response to adversity [CTRA], leukocyte telomere length) (3 [10.0%] 31,37,42 ) (Table 1). Nineteen studies (63.3%) were in high-income countries, [29][30][31][32][33][34][36][37][38][39][40][41][42]45,49,51,53,56,57 and none were in low-income countries. Eight studies (26.7%)…”

Promoting Adherence to Joint Exercise Using the Donation Model: Proof via a Motion-Detecting Mobile Exercise Coaching Application

“…In the healthcare market, financial incentive has already been proven to effectively increase user activity levels. 20 21 22 23 However, studies on the long-term effectiveness of financial incentives are lacking. 21 24 This is mainly due to the economic burden placed on the service providers, and small financial incentives for physical activities that are sustainable for 12 months have been presented as a substitute.…”

“… 22 The effectiveness of the donation model over the financial incentive model was also studied prospectively in some previous studies. 22 23 However, the main outcome of these studies was the number of visits to the institution rather than exact exercise amount. In another previous study comparing the financial incentive and charity models while tracking the amount of activity using a wearable device, the charity model more effectively increased the level of physical activity.…”