A new report by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has confirmed that weight loss is possible, with two-thirds of Australian adults being overweight or obese.
A recent analysis of more than 48,000 CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet participants, which was nearly triple the size of the 2018 original study, found that members who claimed the financial incentive were 28 percent more likely to lose weight than those who did not claim it.
The average weight loss for financial reward claimants was 6.2kg or 6.7% of their starting weight. This compares to the 4.8kg (or 5.2%) of starting weight lost by those who did not claim the financial rewards.
Dr. Gilly Hendrie, CSIRO Research Scientist, said that the research showed clear evidence that healthy weight loss can be achieved by taking personal responsibility and engaging in self-monitoring.
Dr. Hendrie stated, “It’s encouraging to see that our results support other psychology-based behavioral change research that financial incentives and self-accountability can have a meaningful effect on people’s success in weight loss.”
It could be hard to break unhealthy habits you have formed over time. If you don’t see immediate results, it is easy for motivation to lose focus.
She said that self-accountability activities such as tracking your weight or taking progress photos could help members see their physical changes over time. It can motivate them to keep going and form healthy habits to help them reach their health goals.
The analysis also showed that the refund reward members lost more than five percent of their starting weight, compared with half of those not rewarded.
Pennie McCoy, CSIRO Total Wellbeing Dietitian, stated that since 2015, the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet has given Australians $2.2million in refund rewards and improved their health.
“With nearly one-third of CSIRO Total Wellbeing members claiming refund rewards over the past two years, it is clear that Australians aren’t just prioritizing their health but also looking for weight loss programs which are also good for them,” Ms. McCoy stated.
Brian Thomas, a Queenslander, believes that the refund reward was crucial to his 27-kg weight loss.
Mr. Thomas stated that the refund reward-motivated me to sign up. It also helped me reach my weight loss goals and recover my health.
“If I hadn’t had to track my food to receive the refund reward, perhaps I wouldn’t have gotten into the habit of tracking. I still follow these same behaviors three months later, even though I have my refund. It has allowed me to make positive lifestyle and habit changes, which has positively affected my family. It was also very affordable.
Those who follow the scientific-based criteria and complete the 12-week CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet will receive a financial reward equaling the cost ($199). Each week, you must submit a photo to track your progress and keep a food journal at least three times per day.
