Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Systematic Reviews
Published in: Systematic Reviews 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Protocol

The impact of financial incentives on physical activity in adults: a systematic review protocol

Authors: My-Linh Nguyen Luong, Kim L. Bennell, Michelle Hall, Anthony Harris, Rana S. Hinman

Published in: Systematic Reviews | Issue 1/2018

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Most adults fail to meet global physical activity guidelines set out by the World Health Organization. In recent years, behavioural economic principles have been used to design novel interventions that increase physical activity. Immediate financial rewards, for instance, can motivate an individual to change physical activity behaviour by lowering the opportunity costs of exercise. This systematic review will summarise the evidence about the effectiveness of financial incentive interventions for improving physical activity in adults.

Methods

We will search MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, EconLit, SPORTDiscus, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception using a comprehensive, electronic search strategy. The search strategy will include terms related to ‘financial incentive’ and ‘physical activity’. Only randomised controlled trials that investigate the effect of financial incentives on physical activity in adult populations and that are written in the English language will be included. Two review authors will independently screen abstracts and titles, complete full text reviews and extract data on objective and self-reported physical activity outcomes. The authors will also assess the study quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and provide a systematic presentation and synthesis of the included studies’ characteristics and results. If more than two studies are sufficiently similar in population, settings and interventions, we will pool the data to conduct a meta-analysis. If we are unable to perform a meta-analysis, we will conduct a narrative synthesis of the results and produce forest plots for individual studies. Our subgroup analyses will examine the differential effects of an intervention in healthy populations compared to populations with disease pathology and compare the effects of interventions using financial rewards to interventions using financial penalties.

Discussion

This systematic review will determine the effectiveness of positive and negative financial incentives on physical activity in adults. Findings will help inform the development of public health interventions and research in this field.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO 2017:CRD42017068263
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Global Health Risks. Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO); 2009.
2.
Hallal PC, Andersen LB, Bull FC, Guthold R, Haskell W, Ekelund U, Group LPASW. Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. Lancet. 2012;380:247–57.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Lee I-M, Shiroma EJ, Lobelo F, Puska P, Blair SN, Katzmarzyk PT, Group LPASW. Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):219–29.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
4.
McLeroy KR, Bibeau D, Steckler A, Glanz K. An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Educ Q. 1988;15(4):351–77.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Sallis J, Owen N, Fisher E. Ecological models of health behavior. In: Glanz K, Rimer BK, Viswanath K, editors. Health behavior and health education: theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2008.
6.
Bauman AE, Reis RS, Sallis JF, Wells JC, Loos RJ, Martin BW, Group LPASW. Correlates of physical activity: why are some people physically active and others not? Lancet. 2012;380(9838):258–71.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Sallis JF, Cervero RB, Ascher W, Henderson KA, Kraft MK, Kerr J. An ecological approach to creating active living communities. Annu Rev Public Health. 2006;27:297–322.CrossRefPubMed
8.
9.
Perry CK, Garside H, Morones S, Hayman LL. Physical activity interventions for adolescents: an ecological perspective. J Prim Prev. 2012;33(2–3):111–35.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Michie S, van Stralen MM, West R. The behaviour change wheel: a new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implement Sci. 2011;6(1):42.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
11.
Mitchell MS, White L, Oh PI, Kwan M, Gove P, Leahey T, Faulkner GE. Examining incentives to promote physical activity maintenance among hospital employees not achieving 10,000 daily steps: a web-based randomized controlled trial protocol. JMIR Res Protoc. 2016;5(4):e231.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
12.
Camerer CF, Loewenstein G. Behavioral Economics: Past, Present, Future in Advances in Behavioral Economics edited by Camerer C, Loewensteing G and RabinM. New York: Russel Sage Foundation; 2004.
13.
O'Donoghue T, Rabin M. Doing It Now or Later. Am Econ Rev. 1999;89(1):103–24.
14.
Kahneman D, Tversky A. Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk. Econometrica. 1979;47(2):263–92.
15.
Patel MS, Asch DA, Rosin R, Small DS, Bellamy SL, Heuer J, Sproat S, Hyson C, Haff N, Lee SM. Framing financial incentives to increase physical activity among overweight and obese adults a randomized, controlled trial financial incentives for physical activity in overweight and obese adults. Ann Intern Med. 2016;164(6):385–94.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Mitchell MS, Goodman JM, Alter DA, John LK, Oh PI, Pakosh MT, Faulkner GE. Financial incentives for exercise adherence in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Prev Med. 2013;45(5):658–67.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Strohacker K, Galarraga O, Williams DM. The impact of incentives on exercise behavior: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann Behav Med. 2014;48(1):92–9.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
18.
Barte JC, Wendel-Vos GC. A systematic review of financial incentives for physical activity: The effects on physical activity and related outcomes. Behav Med. 2017;43:79–90.
19.
Molema CC, Wendel-Vos GW, Puijk L, Jensen JD, Schuit AJ, de Wit GA. A systematic review of financial incentives given in the healthcare setting; do they effectively improve physical activity levels? BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2016;8(1):15.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
20.
Martin A, Suhrcke M, Ogilvie D. Financial incentives to promote active travel: an evidence review and economic framework. Am J Prev Med. 2012;43(6):e45–57.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
21.
Shea BJ, Reeves BC, Wells G, Thuku M, Hamel C, Moran J, Moher D, Tugwell P, Welch V, Kristjansson E. AMSTAR 2: a critical appraisal tool for systematic reviews that include randomised or non-randomised studies of healthcare interventions, or both. BMJ. 2017;358:j4008.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Haff N, Patel MS, Lim R, Zhu J, Troxel AB, Asch DA, Volpp KG. The role of behavioral economic incentive design and demographic characteristics in financial incentive-based approaches to changing health behaviors: a meta-analysis. Am J Health Promot. 2015;29(5):314–23.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Giles EL, Robalino S, McColl E, Sniehotta FF, Adams J. The effectiveness of financial incentives for health behaviour change: systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2014;9(3):e90347.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
24.
Durham County Council. Saddler street user-charge monitoring report. Durham: Durham County Council; 2003.
25.
Leape J. The London congestion charge. J Econ Perspect. 2006;20(4):157–76.CrossRef
26.
Patel M, Asch D, Rosin R, Small D, Bellamy S, Eberbach K, Walters K, Haff N, Lee S, Wesby L, et al. Individual versus team-based financial incentives to increase physical activity: a randomized, controlled trial. J Gen Intern Med. 2016;31(7):746–54.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
27.
Capps KH, John B. Employee health & productivity management programs: the use of incentives. A survey of major U.S. employers. The results of the Spring 2008 Health, Wellness & Productivity Programs, Incentives & ROI Impact Survey; 2008.
28.
Michie S, Fixsen D, Grimshaw JM, Eccles MP. Specifying and reporting complex behaviour change interventions: the need for a scientific method. Implement Sci. 2009;4(1):40.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
29.
Green LW, Glasgow RE. Evaluating the relevance, generalization, and applicability of research: issues in external validation and translation methodology. Eval Health Prof. 2006;29(1):126–53.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Improved Clinical Effectiveness through Behavioural Research Group. Designing theoretically-informed implementation interventions. Implement Sci. 2006;1(1):4.CrossRef
31.
Dombrowski SU, Sniehotta FF, Avenell A, Coyne JC. Towards a cumulative science of behaviour change: do current conduct and reporting of behavioural interventions fall short of best practice. Psychol Health. 2007;22(8):869–74.CrossRef
32.
33.
Hoffmann TC, Glasziou PP, Boutron I, Milne R, Perera R, Moher D, Altman DG, Barbour V, Macdonald H, Johnston M. Better reporting of interventions: template for intervention description and replication (TIDieR) checklist and guide. BMJ. 2014;348:g1687.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Adams J, Giles EL, McColl E, Sniehotta FF. Carrots, sticks and health behaviours: a framework for documenting the complexity of financial incentive interventions to change health behaviours. Health Psychol Rev. 2014;8(3):286–95.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Michie S, Abraham C. Identifying techniques that promote health behaviour change: evidence based or evidence inspired? Psychol Health. 2004;19:29–49.CrossRef
36.
Higgins J, Lasserson T, Chandler J, Tovey D, Churchill R. Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR). London: Cochrane; 2016.
37.
Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M, Ghersi D, Liberati A, Petticrew M, Shekelle P, Stewart LA. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Syst Rev. 2015;4(1):1.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
38.
Shamseer L, Moher D, Clarke M, Ghersi D, Liberati A, Petticrew M, Shekelle P, Stewart LA. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015: elaboration and explanation. BMJ. 2015;349:g7647.CrossRef
39.
Counsell C. Formulating questions and locating primary studies for inclusion in systematic reviews. Ann Intern Med. 1997;127(5):380–7.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Organization WH. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010. 2016
41.
42.
Adams RJ, Smart P, Huff AS. Shades of grey: guidelines for working with the grey literature in systematic reviews for management and organizational studies. Int J Manag Rev. 2017;19(4):432–54.CrossRef
43.
Michie S, Richardson M, Johnston M, Abraham C, Francis J, Hardeman W, Eccles MP, Cane J, Wood CE. The behavior change technique taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically clustered techniques: building an international consensus for the reporting of behavior change interventions. Ann Behav Med. 2013;46(1):81–95.CrossRefPubMed
44.
Michie S, Prestwich A. Are interventions theory-based? Development of a theory coding scheme. Health Psychol. 2010;29(1):1.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Golden SD, Earp JAL. Social ecological approaches to individuals and their contexts: twenty years of health education & behavior health promotion interventions. Health Educ Behav. 2012;39(3):364–72.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Higgins JPT, Altman DG, Sterne JAC. Chapter 8: Assessing risk of bias in included studies. In: Higgins JPT, Green S (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 (updated March 2011). The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available from www.​handbook.​cochrane.​org.
47.
Whiting-O'Keefe QE, Henke C, Simborg DW. Choosing the correct unit of analysis in Medical Care experiments. Med care. 1984;22(12):1101.
48.
49.
Higgins JPT, Green S (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 [updated March 2011]. The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available from www.​handbook.​cochrane.​org.
50.
Higgins J, Thompson SG. Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis. Stat Med. 2002;21(11):1539–58.CrossRefPubMed
51.
52.
Dishman RK, Washburn RA, Schoeller DA. Measurement of physical activity. Quest. 2001;53(3):295–309.CrossRef
53.
Strath SJ, Kaminsky LA, Ainsworth BE, Ekelund U, Freedson PS, Gary RA, Richardson CR, Smith DT, Swartz AM. Guide to the assessment of physical activity: clinical and research applications. Circulation. 2013;128(20):2259–79.CrossRefPubMed
54.
Metadata
Title
The impact of financial incentives on physical activity in adults: a systematic review protocol
Authors
My-Linh Nguyen Luong
Kim L. Bennell
Michelle Hall
Anthony Harris
Rana S. Hinman
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Systematic Reviews / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2046-4053
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-018-0687-8

Other articles of this Issue 1/2018

Systematic Reviews 1/2018 Go to the issue

Protocol

Blood pressure reduction and clinical outcomes with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers: protocol for a systematic review and meta-regression analysis

Protocol

General practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and experiences of managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: protocol of a mixed methods systematic review and meta-ethnography

Protocol

The use of standardized management protocols for critically ill patients with non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: a protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis

Protocol

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes mellitus in women of childbearing age in Middle East and North Africa, 2000–2017: protocol for two systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Research

Perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery following coronary stent placement: a systematic review

Protocol

Digital storytelling as a method in health research: a systematic review protocol