Cash incentives are being given out by the National Health Service (NHS) in a trial which aims to lower the obesity rates in the UK.

People whsign up to the programme, from a company known as Weight Wins, are paid in cash if they hit target weights at certain pre-arranged dates.

The idea is that money above health and appearance is seen as a determining factor to motivate people when the need to lose weight becomes an issue. Not only that but it is beleived that over time such schemes will save the NHS billions of pounds on health care for those people who contract illnesses, diseases and complications due to their weight.

The NHS trial participants had an average age of 43 and an average weight of 15.5 stone and body-mass index (BMI) score of 33.8 before commencing with the Weight Wins plan. Of those trialists some completed a six month course, whilst others went on to complete a plan over a full year. The results meant that the six month participants lost on average weight to show a BMI of just over 31 wehereas those people who stuck at it for a full year dropped their BMI to 29.6.

The Weight Wins programme is being trialled by the NHS in Kent, as part of a national trial.

Pay-to-quit schemes are nothing new however. Such cash incentive programmes are available to encourage people to stop smoking, while doctors and GPs can refer clinically obese patients qualified dieticians and nutritionists or health club exercise classes that are subsidised by the NHS.