Anti-obesity pilot scheme to reward healthy living with vouchers to be launched in England
People will receive points for increasing their step count and eating more fruit and veg which can be redeemed for gym passes and discounts at selected shops.
Friday 22 October 2021 12:27, UK
An anti-obesity scheme which rewards healthy living with vouchers and discounted gym passes will be piloted in England in January 2022, the government has announced.
Under plans to tackle the country's obesity crisis, ministers will trial a project which will see users wear wrist-worn Fitbit-style devices that generate personalised health recommendations such as increasing their step count, eating more fruit and vegetables and decreasing portion sizes.
Users will collect points on an app for demonstrating "healthy behaviours" which will unlock rewards including gym passes, clothes and food vouchers and discounts for the cinema, shops and theme parks.
The government says evidence suggests financial incentives can improve rates of physical activity and inspire healthier eating.
Obesity-related illnesses cost the NHS £6bn a year and ministers have stressed the challenge has been highlighted by COVID-19 disproportionately affecting people who are overweight.
Latest data suggests almost two-thirds of adults in England are living with excess weight or obesity.
It is hoped the scheme, delivered by HeadUp Systems and announced as part of a £100m package of government support, will help people to make positive changes to their diet and activity levels and to lead healthier, happier lives.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the pilot is "an excellent opportunity to find how best to inspire people to make small changes to their daily lives that will have a lasting, positive impact on their health".
Mr Javid added: "I want to ensure we're doing as much as we can to tackle health disparities across the country, and this new pilot will pave the way for developing innovative ways to improve the lives of individuals, and also help to reduce strain on the NHS.
"The Office of Health Improvement and Disparities is driving forward our levelling up agenda for health and ensuring prevention is a vital part of everything we do."
Public Health minister Maggie Throup added that ministers are "committed to improving the health of people across the country".
"The HeadUp app pilot will help us better understand how appropriate rewards can motivate people to make positive changes to their diet and physical activity, supporting them to lead healthier lives," she said.
The government has pointed to examples of similar schemes internationally which have produced "promising results", such as Singapore's National Steps Challenge.
The pilot will launch at the beginning of next year and run for six months in a location in England yet to be decided.
If successful, it is hoped the programme will be rolled out more widely at a later date.
Sir Keith Mills, who pioneered the Air Miles and Nectar points schemes, has been advising the government on the development of the app.
Sir Keith said: "This scheme is a fantastic opportunity to explore how government, business and the third sector can work together to deliver a new and engaging way of supporting the public to make healthier choices.
"Through the pilot we will have exciting and innovative partners on board who will help motivate people to want to earn incentives, but also should help them overcome barriers to making healthy decisions in future.
"I'm looking forward to see how this scheme develops."
But Labour say the government's plans to reward people for healthy eating choices are "tinkering around the edges" after the end to the £20 Universal Credit uplift, which would push people towards "cheaper, less healthy alternatives".
Following a statement by Ms Throup on the plans, shadow health minister Alex Norris told the Commons: "We are not going to argue against measures that attempt to help our public improve their health, but like the obesity strategy that precedes this latest pilot, this is tinkering around the edges."
He added: "Let's be very clear: whatever this pilot achieves, whatever the obesity strategy achieves, they will all get knocked into cocked hat by the £20 a week cut to Universal Credit. This will push millions of people into cheaper, less healthy alternatives. This will happen to adults, this will happen to our children."