System and method for rewarding users for changes in health behaviors

Abstract

A system and method for generating and sending reward messages to users accomplishing goals related to a personalized health behavior plan. Rewards may be issued for reasons such as achieving an ultimate goal, reaching an intermediate goal, or completing a suggested activity such as eating a suggested meal or performing a suggested physical activity. A reward may be a coupon for use at an establishment such as a restaurant, a clothing store, or a fitness center. Rewards may also be checks sent through postal mail or coupons for printing on a personal printer. Reward messages are generated by an expert system based on a user's personalized diet, exercise, or other health plan, goals associated with the plan, and specified preferences. Reward messages are sent to user's portable devices. Current location information may be used to send a user a reward for use at a nearby establishment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computerized method for rewarding a user's health behaviors comprising one or more computers executing instructions to:
 (a) store in at least one database:
 (i) health plan data for said user comprising preferences for a plurality of health activities; 
 (ii) a time of day preference for completing each of said plurality of health activities; and 
 (iii) a health goal; 
   (b) establish at least one milestone related to said health goal;   (c) transmit to said user's mobile device a request for a progress measurement related to said milestone;   (d) receive from said user's mobile device said progress measurement related to said milestone;   (e) compare said progress measurement to said milestone to determine if said milestone has been met;   (f) if said milestone has been met:
 (i) generate a reward message comprising a redeemable reward for use in completing at least one of said plurality of health activities; 
 (ii) determine a transmission time for said reward message consistent with said user's time of day preference for completing said at least one of said plurality of health activities; and 
 (iii) transmit said reward message to said user's mobile device at said transmission time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of health activities are selected from the group consisting of:
 eating activities and exercise activities. 
 
     
     
         3 . The computerized method of  claim 2  wherein said time of day preference for eating activities comprises a time of day preference for eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack. 
     
     
         4 . The computerized method of  claim 2  wherein said health plan data for eating activities comprises a diet plan preference and a meal preparation preference. 
     
     
         5 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said time of day preference for completing each of a plurality of health activities comprising a weekday time of day preference and a weekend time of day preference. 
     
     
         6 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said milestone is selected from the group consisting of:
 reaching said health goal, losing a percentage of body weight, losing a number of pounds, and achieving a specified waist size. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said milestone is selected from the group consisting of:
 accepting a healthy meal suggestion, eating healthy meals for a consecutive number of days, and exercising for a consecutive number of days. 
 
     
     
         8 . A computerized method for rewarding a user's health behaviors comprising one or more computers executing instructions to:
 (a) store in at least one database health plan data for said user comprising at least one behavioral challenge;   (b) transmit to said user's mobile device a request for a progress measurement related to said behavioral challenge;   (c) receive from said user's mobile device said progress measurement related to said behavioral challenge;   (d) compare said progress measurement to said behavioral challenge to determine if said user has taken an action to overcome said behavioral challenge; and   (e) if said user has taken an action to overcome said behavioral challenge:
 (i) generate a reward message comprising a reference to said behavioral challenge; and 
 (ii) transmit said reward message to said user's mobile device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computerized method of  claim 8  wherein said behavioral challenge is selected from the group consisting of:
 an eating challenge and an exercise challenge. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computerized method of  claim 8  wherein the instruction to transmit to said user's mobile device a request for a progress measurement related to said behavioral challenge comprises an instruction to determine a time for transmitting said request based on a behavioral challenge type. 
     
     
         11 . The computerized method of  claim 8  wherein said health plan data further comprises at least one challenge strategy for overcoming said behavioral challenge. 
     
     
         12 . The computerized method of  claim 8  wherein said at least one behavioral challenge is a priority challenge identified by said user. 
     
     
         13 . A computerized method for rewarding a user's health behaviors comprising one or more computers executing instructions to:
 (a) store in at least one database:
 (i) health plan data for said user comprising preferences for a plurality of health activities; and 
 (ii) a time of day preference for completing each of said plurality of health activities; 
   (b) transmit to said user's mobile device a suggestion message for completing one of said plurality of health activities;   (c) receive from said user's mobile device a completion message for said one of said plurality of health activities in said suggestion message;   (d) if said completion message indicates said user completed said one of said plurality of health activities:
 (i) generate a reward message comprising a redeemable reward for use in completing at least one of said plurality of health activities; and 
 (ii) transmit said reward message to said user's mobile device. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computerized method of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of health activities are selected from the group consisting of:
 eating activities and exercise activities. 
 
     
     
         15 . The computerized method of  claim 14  wherein said health plan data for eating activities comprises a diet plan preference and a meal preparation preference. 
     
     
         16 . The computerized method of  claim 15  wherein said redeemable reward is consistent with said user's diet plan and meal preparation preferences. 
     
     
         17 . The computerized method of  claim 13  wherein said redeemable reward is selected according to said user's current location. 
     
     
         18 . The computerized method of  claim 13  wherein the instruction transmit to said user's mobile device a suggestion message for completing one of said plurality of health activities comprises an instruction to transmit said suggestion message according to a preferred time for completing said one of said plurality of health activities.