There was not convincing evidence that effects were different between different groups of behaviours .
Meta-regression found some , limited , evidence that effect sizes decreased as post-intervention follow-up period and incentive value increased .
However , the latter effect may be confounded by the former .
The available evidence suggests that financial incentive interventions are more effective than usual care or no intervention for encouraging healthy behaviour change .
BACKGROUND Financial incentive interventions have been suggested as one method of promoting healthy behaviour change .
OBJECTIVES To conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of financial incentive interventions for encouraging healthy behaviour change ; to explore whether effects vary according to the type of behaviour incentivised , post-intervention follow-up time , or incentive value .
Contingent reinforcement for reduced breath carbon monoxide levels: target-specific effects on cigarette smoking.
This study determined the effects on smoking behavior of providing contingent reinforcement for  nonsmoking  versus  reduced smoking  afternoon breath carbon monoxide ( CO ) target levels . Twenty-eight hired chronic smoker volunteers were r and omly assigned to one of three experimental conditions during a 10-day intervention : ( a ) 8 ppm target CO , $ 5 per day incentive ( n = 11 ) ; ( b ) 16 ppm target CO , $ 4 per day incentive ( n = 8) ; or ( c ) 8 ppm target CO , no incentive ( n = 9 ) . Both payment groups showed significantly lower CO levels and greater amounts of daytime smoking reduction than the no-pay group . A specific effect of CO target was also seen ; 45 % of subjects in the 8 ppm group compared with 0 % of subjects in the 16 ppm target and no-pay groups produced average afternoon CO levels of 8.5 ppm or lower during the intervention . Average levels of CO and smoking reduction did not differ for the two paid groups , however , because some subjects in the 8 ppm group failed to reduce CO sufficiently to contact the reinforcer . Contingent reinforcement based on expired air CO levels can exercise powerful and precise ( target-specific ) control over smoking behavior , but there may be individual differences in ability to meet reinforcement contingencies if difficult targets are introduced abruptly
There was not convincing evidence that effects were different between different groups of behaviours .
Meta-regression found some , limited , evidence that effect sizes decreased as post-intervention follow-up period and incentive value increased .
However , the latter effect may be confounded by the former .
The available evidence suggests that financial incentive interventions are more effective than usual care or no intervention for encouraging healthy behaviour change .
BACKGROUND Financial incentive interventions have been suggested as one method of promoting healthy behaviour change .
OBJECTIVES To conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of financial incentive interventions for encouraging healthy behaviour change ; to explore whether effects vary according to the type of behaviour incentivised , post-intervention follow-up time , or incentive value .