The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), aimed to investigate whether financial incentives or point-based rewards, such as in a game, could encourage adults at risk for heart disease to increase their daily physical activity. The research took place between 2019 and 2024, involving more than 1,000 adults at elevated risk for major cardiovascular events.
Participants were randomized into one of four groups: the game-incentive group, the financial group, the game-like and financial incentives group, and the control group. Each intervention lasted for 12 months, followed by a six-month follow-up period where all participants received the same support.
The results showed that participants in the game-incentive group walked an extra 538 steps from their baseline amount, while those who received financial incentives walked an extra 492. The group who received both incentives averaged 868 extra steps and maintained an average of 576 more daily steps six months after the incentives ended. These changes correlate with a notable decrease in the risk of premature and cardiovascular-related deaths.