A study published online on April 7, 2024 by Traffic found that adults can benefit from incentives to become more active. Researchers recruited more than 1,000 adults at high risk of heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. Participants used a fitness tracker for two weeks to establish a baseline daily step count. Everyone then set a goal of increasing their average daily steps by 33%, 40%, 50%, or any number greater than 1,500 steps.
After setting their goals, participants were randomly divided into four groups. Three groups were offered incentives to achieve their goals. One received gaming rewards, another received financial rewards, and the third received a combination of both. A control group wore fitness trackers but did not receive rewards. The game and financial rewards consisted of people earning or losing points or money based on whether or not they met their daily step goal. The control group received a daily text message letting them know if they had reached their goal.
Over a year, participants in the fitness tracker control group increased their daily step count by an average of 1,500 steps. In contrast, people in all incentive groups improved their daily steps by 2,000 to 2,400 steps. This increase would be expected to correlate with a 10% reduction in the risk of death from heart attack or stroke. The study highlighted how discovering your own ways to reward yourself could lead to an increase in daily physical activity.
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