The National Health Service in England may launch a health initiative that pays people to lose weight.
This is a program still under consideration, but under the rules, people who lose at least 140 pounds in 21 months could receive the equivalent of nearly three grand for their efforts. The initiative will also reward weight loss in lesser amounts – such as participants who lose at least 28 pounds in five months.
This idea began with a test program that began in 2009 among a small group of obese participants, and the National Health Service won’t announce if the program is a “go” or not until February. But statistics show that if the national version goes through, it could be a real economic boost in the long-run. According to some sources, up to a third of the population in the United Kingdom is classified as overweight or obese. And one source said that obesity, with all its related health problems, could be a $73 billion burden on the National Health Service by the year 2050. This is technically enough to bankrupt England’s health system.
For these reasons, by parsing out small amounts of money now to motivate people to lose weight over a period of time, Britain may actually be able to take their savings to the bank.
