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Nutritionists and dieting experts have long sought the answer to how to encourage people to lose weight. It seems overweight people are more interested the size their wallets than their waistlines. Researchers the USA may have found one answer – cash rewards and penalties. A year-long study 100 weight watchers the Mayo Clinic Minnesota found a system financial incentives and fines had a significant impact people's success shedding kilos. The weight-conscious dieters received $20 a month if they met their weight loss goals and had to pay a penalty if they didn't. Those motivated financial gain lost an average 4.1kg, compared to just 1kg those without the cash bonus.

The study followed 100 obese adults aged between 18 to 63, who were weighed every month a year. They were put into four groups, some with a monetary focus, others with an emphasis education and behaviour change. The $20 a month was enough the financially-motivated dieters to -diet the other groups. Mayo Clinic's Dr Donald Hensrud said: "Just wanting to lose weight isn’t enough. Financial incentives can be powerful." Head researcher Dr Steven Driver found the fear losing money was stronger than the thought receiving a bonus. He said: "Fear losing money tends to motivate people about two and a half times more than the prospect gaining the same amount money."