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Cash for cardio: do debit card rewards boost gym attendance?

NCT ID NCT05704712

Prevention Sponsor: Brown University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 01, 2026 · Last updated Sep 02, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at Brown University are testing whether cash incentives encourage adults to exercise more. Participants with a YMCA membership can earn up to $100 or $200 for attending at least 50 gym sessions over 6 months. The study compares two incentive levels against a control group, tracking gym visits and physical activity over a year. The goal is to see if a simple, insurance-style reward program can meaningfully increase exercise.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Monetary incentives in the form of pre-loaded Visa debit cards, up to $100 or $200 for attending at least 50 YMCA sessions over 6 months
What this could lead to
If cash rewards get people moving more, this could point toward a simple, scalable way to boost physical activity and improve public health.
What could go wrong
The trial is small and short-term, and the effect may fade once the money stops. Some participants may not change their habits at all.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

339 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 2023

Expected to finish

Jun 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. A current member, or willing to become a current member of one of the following branches of the YMCA: 1. Bayside Family YMCA (Barrington, RI) 2. Cranston YMCA (Cranston, RI) 3. East Side/Mt. Hope YMCA (Providence, RI) 4. Kent County YMCA (Warwick, RI) 5. Newman YMCA (Seekonk, MA) 6. South County YMCA (South Kingston, RI) 2. Age 18 years or older 3. Physically capable of engaging in exercise Exclusion Criteria: 1. Not a current member, and unwilling to become a member of one of the above listed YMCA branches. 2. Under age 18. 3. Physically incapable of exercise 4. Doctor has recommended that you should not exercise because of a current health condition

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Sedentary Behavior

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Physical inactivity

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Brown University

    Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, United States

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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.