UPHS Weight Loss Study

Obesity Clinical Trial

Official title: UPHS Weight Loss Study: Evaluating Methods to Use Health Benefits Design to Encourage Employee Weight Loss

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this study is to compare a novel approach using financial incentives to changes in health benefit design and their impact on employee weight loss.

Clinical Trial Description

Employers are increasingly looking for opportunities to encourage weight loss among employees. While studies have shown that financial incentives can effectively encourage weight loss, little is known about their use in health benefits design. The goal of this study is to determine whether a financial incentive program delivered to obese University of Pennsylvania Health System employees can effectively encourage weight loss when compared to changes in health benefit design.

This is a randomized controlled trial involving financial incentives with four study arms:

control, delayed gratification, immediate gratification, and financial incentive with frequent feedback. Participation in this study will last about 12 months.

The primary goal of the study is to test the effects of a novel financial incentive program using a lottery with frequent feedback to normal benefit design structures. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Investigator), Primary Purpose: Health Services Research

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Obesity
• Weight Loss

• NCT number: NCT01800591
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Pennsylvania
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 2013
• Completion date: April 2015