Work

Does Digital Make a Difference? Willingness‐to‐Pay for Digital Versus Offline Weight Loss in Germany

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Background Germany introduced both digital health applications (DiGA) and an “offline” structured disease management program (DMP) for obesity within statutory health insurance. Given limited resources and ongoing reimbursement decisions, evidence on how individuals with obesity assessed the value of intervention delivery in terms of their willingness to pay (WTP) remained limited. Objective This study assessed the WTP of individuals with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) for a DiGA and a structured “offline” DMP and examined whether digital interventions better aligned with their preferences than offline interventions. Methods An online contingent valuation survey was conducted among 424 participants with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 in Germany. Monthly WTP under a hypothetical non‐coverage scenario was analyzed in relation to participants' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics using a two‐part regression model. Results The mean WTP for the DiGA was €16.15 per month (95% CI: €14.22–€18.09) and was significantly positively associated with older age (€0.24 higher per year, p = 0.02) and higher digital affinity (€6.91 higher per unit, p = 0.01). The mean WTP for the DMP was €18.70 per month (95% CI: €16.52–€20.90) and was significantly positively associated with female sex (€6.20 higher, p = 0.02) and higher digital infrastructure (€2.63 higher per unit, p = 0.04). Conclusion Respondents showed a positive WTP for weight loss interventions, yet at an amount far below DiGA manufacturer prices of approximately €70 per month. The small difference between digital and offline formats suggested that the perceived effectiveness of the intervention had a greater influence on WTP than the format.

Source: Obesity Science & Practice

DOI: 10.1002/osp4.70151

Authors: Kevin Helms, Stefan K. Lhachimi, Wolf Rogowski, Oliver Lange

Institutions: University of Bremen, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Mobile Health and mHealth Applications

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,260