A study supported by the National Institutes of Health found that adults at risk of heart disease who received daily reminders or incentives to become more active significantly increased their daily steps by more than 1,500 after a year. The improvements correlated with a reduced risk of premature death and cardiovascular-related deaths. Combining daily reminders with financial incentives or game-like rewards was found to be the most effective approach in increasing physical activity levels. The study, which took place between 2019 and 2024, followed over 1,000 adults and found that even moderate exercise could dramatically reduce cardiovascular risk.
Participants in the study received wearable fitness trackers and set goals to increase their daily steps by a specific percentage. They were then randomized into one of four groups, three of which offered incentives such as game-like rewards, financial rewards, or a combination of both. The fourth group served as a control group and received no incentives. The participants who received both game-like and financial incentives showed the most significant improvements in physical activity levels, with many still maintaining higher daily step counts six months after the incentives stopped. The findings were presented as late-breaking research at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Session.
Before the study, participants across all groups recorded an average of about 5,000 daily steps, which increased by more than 1,500 after 12 months of interventions. The game-incentive group, financial incentive group, and the group that received both incentives all showed significant increases in daily step counts compared to the control group. However, the gains seen in the single intervention groups did not differ significantly from the control group 18 months after the start of the study. The interventions, which provided immediate benefits or rewards for movement, were found to be effective in encouraging behavior change towards more physical activity.
The lead researcher emphasized the importance of creating immediate benefits for participants in order to motivate them to increase their physical activity levels. He suggested that individuals looking to change their behavior around exercise could apply similar principles used in the study, such as using exercise apps that provide daily reminders and rewards for meeting health goals, enlisting family and friends for support, or even creating scenarios where they lose money if they fail to meet targets. Healthcare systems and organizations could also use similar tactics to help patients increase their physical activity levels. The research was supported by an NHLBI grant.