Yanks refuse to cash in potato chips

06 January 2016 - 02:40 By Katharine Child

Paying American adults to lose weight didn't work. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, allows US companies to use up to 30% of the medical aid premiums they pay for staff as incentives to reward healthy behaviour.But a study published yesterday showed that none of the 197 people recruited for the study lost any weight a year later.Staff were randomised into different groups, one that earned nothing for losing weight and other groups that could reduce their medical aid premiums or, if successful, enter a lottery in which a winner would earn prize money.Participants had to lose 5% of their body weight over a year.The study was conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.In South Africa, Discovery Vitality programme rewards members for healthy behaviour. ..

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