Paying individuals to go the gym could be the key to changing their health for the long term.
This is according to Cass Sunstein the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard , who spoke at Vitality’s launch of its research titled ‘The Habit Index’.
The index mapped the behaviours and habits of more than one million Vitality programme members across South Africa and the UK over a 10 year period to determine the best ways to form and maintain healthy habits, and to understand the science of how healthy habits can lead to longer, healthier lives.
Professor Sunstein told delegates about research which demonstrated paid incentives for gym attendance can be habit forming for individuals.
“What about going to the gym? Do you know if people are paid to go to the gym, what happens is those that are paid are more likely to go – but they are more likely to keep going after the incentive is removed?
“This is a study that shows going to the gym can be habit forming relatively quickly.
“This was replicated subsequently and showed people were very naive about the possibility that a habit formation would occur.
“That is when they were given incentives to go the gym they failed to realise that this was going to work for the long run.”