Comparative effectiveness of situational programming, financial pay-offs and group pressure in weight reduction

Abstract

Forty-nine overweight women participated in a study comparing the relative effectiveness of financial remuneration, situational eating management and social pressure procedures in a weight reduction program conducted by two female therapists. Results indicated that a combination of situational management and monetary pay-offs for weight loss was not reliably more effective than behavioral management techniques. Both of these procedures led to significantly greater weight loss at posttreatment assessment than social pressure or no treatment. Weight loss as a result of participation was maintained over a two-month follow-up period. Therapist specificity and intrasubject variability in weight fluctuation were ruled out as competing hypotheses, and suggestions regarding methods of increasing the efficacy and replicability of weight-control programs were made.