Group refunds , deposit not paid as lump sum , participants setting their own deposit size and additional behaviour change techniques were associated with greater weight loss during treatment .
Post-treatment , there was no significant effect of MCCs on weight loss .
There was a significant small-to-medium effect of MCCs on participant retention during treatment .
Research er-set deposits paid as one lump sum , refunds delivered on an all-or-nothing basis and refunds contingent on attendance at classes were associated with greater retention during treatment .
Post-treatment , there was no significant effect of MCCs on participant retention .
The results support the use of MCCs to promote weight loss and participant retention up to the point that the incentive is removed and identifies the conditions under which MCCs work best
Financial incentives to improve health have received increasing attention , but are subject to ethical concerns .
Monetary Contingency Contracts ( MCCs ) , which require individuals to deposit money that is refunded contingent on reaching a goal , are a potential alternative strategy .
This review evaluates systematic ally the evidence for weight loss – related MCCs .
Are smaller weight losses or more achievable weight loss goals better in the long term for obese patients?
Weight losses and psychological well-being were examined at 30 months in 69 men and 61 women initially treated with behavior therapy as a function of ( a ) initial weight loss and ( b ) weight-loss goals .  Initial weight losses were positively , not negatively , related to weight loss at 30 months . Weight loss goals did not predict short-term or long-term weight loss . People who reached weight goals had better long-term weight losses than those who did not , but this finding was largely due to differences in initial weight loss . Psychological well-being at 30 months was not related to initial weight losses or goals . Although correlational rather than experimental , these results do not support the hypothesis that obese patients should be encouraged to set lower weight-loss goals
Group refunds , deposit not paid as lump sum , participants setting their own deposit size and additional behaviour change techniques were associated with greater weight loss during treatment .
Post-treatment , there was no significant effect of MCCs on weight loss .
There was a significant small-to-medium effect of MCCs on participant retention during treatment .
Research er-set deposits paid as one lump sum , refunds delivered on an all-or-nothing basis and refunds contingent on attendance at classes were associated with greater retention during treatment .
Post-treatment , there was no significant effect of MCCs on participant retention .
The results support the use of MCCs to promote weight loss and participant retention up to the point that the incentive is removed and identifies the conditions under which MCCs work best
Financial incentives to improve health have received increasing attention , but are subject to ethical concerns .
Monetary Contingency Contracts ( MCCs ) , which require individuals to deposit money that is refunded contingent on reaching a goal , are a potential alternative strategy .
This review evaluates systematic ally the evidence for weight loss – related MCCs .