Teacher:In this task, you are given a text of many news articles seperated by special token "|||||". Your task is to summarize them.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: SAN FRANCISCO — Weight loss study participants who received financial incentives were more likely to stick with a weight loss program and lost more weight than study participants who received no incentives, according to Mayo Clinic research that will be presented Saturday, March 9 at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session. 
  
 Previous studies have shown that financial incentives help people lose weight, but this study examined a larger group of participants (100) over a longer period (one year), says lead author Steven Driver, M.D., an internal medicine resident at Mayo Clinic. One hundred healthy adult Mayo employees or their dependents, ages 18–63 with a body mass index of 30 to 39.9 kg/m2, were assigned to one of four weight loss groups: two with financial incentives and two without. An adult who has a body mass index — a calculation determined by using weight and height — of 30 or higher is considered obese, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
  
 All participants were given a goal of losing 4 pounds per month up to a predetermined goal weight. Participants were weighed monthly for one year; previous financial incentive studies followed patients for 12 and 36 weeks. Participants in the incentive groups who met their goals received $20 per month, while those who failed to meet their targets paid $20 each month into a bonus pool. Participants in both incentive groups who completed the study were eligible to win the pool by lottery. 
  
 Study completion rates for the incentive groups were significant compared with the non-incentive groups: 62 percent versus 26 percent. In the incentive groups, participants' mean weight loss was 9.08 pounds, compared with 2.34 pounds for the non-incentive groups. 
  
 "The take-home message is that sustained weight loss can be achieved by financial incentives," Dr. Driver says. "The financial incentives can improve results, and improve compliance and adherence." 
  
 Researchers found that even participants in the incentive group who paid penalties were more likely to continue their participation in the study than those in the non-incentive groups, Dr. Driver says. 
  
 Senior study author Donald Hensrud, M.D., preventive medicine expert at Mayo Clinic and medical editor of The Mayo Clinic Diet, says obesity continues to be a major concern in the United States because extra weight contributes to many conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. 
  
 "Traditional therapies are not working for a lot of people, so people are looking for creative ways to help people lose weight and keep it off," Dr. Hensrud says. "The results of this study show the potential of financial incentives." 
  
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 About Mayo Clinic 
  
 Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit MayoClinic.com or MayoClinic.org/news. 
  
 Journalists can become a member of the Mayo Clinic News Network for the latest health, science and research news and access to video, audio, text and graphic elements that can be downloaded or embedded. ||||| Money can do wonders. It can not only make a lot of people change in terms of priorities, it can help one shed off the extra pounds as well. Surprised on reading this? But this is what the latest study states. 
  
 The research study by researchers at Mayo Clinic suggests that weight loss study participants who received financial incentives were more likely to follow the weight loss program strictly, and they noticed a reduction in their body weight when compared to those participants who didn't receive any incentives. 
  
 Prior to this, a study showed how financial incentives help people lose weight. This study had a lesser number of participants who were followed for 12-36 weeks, while the latest study was conducted on 100 participants who were followed for one year. 
  
 The participants in the new study were employees of Mayo Clinic or their dependents belonging to the age group of 18-63, with a BMI of 30-39.9 kg/m2. These participants were divided into four groups, out of which two groups received financial incentives and two groups didn't receive any financial incentives. 
  
 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an adult with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more than 30 was considered to be obese. 
  
 The participants were told to achieve the goal of losing 4 pounds per month up to a predetermined goal weight. The researchers kept track of their body weight every month for almost one year. The researchers told the participants in the incentive groups that they would receive $20 per month if they achieved the goal. And those who failed to achieve the goal would need to pay $20 each month that gets into the bonus pool. Participants in both incentive groups who finished the study were entitled to win the pool by lottery. 
  
 The researchers noticed that 62 percent of the participants in the incentive group achieved the goal, while just 26 percent from the non-incentive group hit the target. The mean weight loss of participants from the incentive group was 9.08 pounds and the mean weight loss for the non incentive group was 2.34 pounds. 
  
 "The take-home message is that sustained weight loss can be achieved by financial incentives," lead author Steven Driver, M.D., an internal medicine resident at Mayo Clinic, said in a press statement. "The financial incentives can improve results, and improve compliance and adherence." 
  
 Those from the incentive group who paid penalties continued their participation as compared to the non-incentive group. 
  
 This study will be presented March 9 at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session. |||||
Student:
Having a hard time losing weight? Cold hard cash could help. The results of a new study by the Mayo Clinic show that people did a better job of losing weight when they were paid to do so, reports Science World Report. The Mayo Clinic notes that while the finding isn't new, its study tracked more participants over a longer period of time (100 people over a year). The subjects had a BMI of 30 to 39.9, putting them in the obese category. They were divided into incentive and no-incentive groups, then asked to lose four pounds a month—those in the incentive groups were paid $20 per month for meeting that goal; the "incentived" ones who didn't had to pay a $20 penalty. For people in the incentive groups, 62% achieved the monthly goal, while only 26% of participants in the incentive-free groups did. Overall, those in the incentive groups lost an average of 9.08 pounds, while the non-incentive groups' average was 2.34 pounds. And even those who paid the penalty were more likely to stick with the study than those with no incentive. "The take-home message is that sustained weight loss can be achieved by financial incentives," says the lead researcher. "The financial incentives can improve results, and improve compliance and adherence."