Dubai Offers Gold for Each Kilo Weight Loss

Today (July 24, 2013) a notable news item about a quite ‘exotic’ weight loss program caught my eye.

 
What’s the case: in the United Arab Emirates, 33.7% of adults are obese. Especially in Kuwait the prevalence of obesity is high: 42.8% of Kuwait adults are obese. Furthermore, about 1/3 of the adult inhabitants of both Saudi Arabia and Qatar are obese.
 
To decrease obesity in its own city, Dubai (United Arab Emirates, UAE) is about to launche a weight loss initiative  that rewards people for each kilo weight lost with … gold!
 
For each kilogram of weight lost, one gram of $ 41,- worth gold (based on market prices in the United Arab Emirates) is paid. One of the three people that lose the most weight will be rewarded with  a golden coin worth more than $5,400.
 

What do you think of this initiative (or must I say “weight loss race”)? 

Let me know in the comments below!