Dubai Is Going To Pay Its Residents In Gold If They Lose Weight

Nothing burns calories like a nice monetary incentive.

At least that's the theory being tested in Dubai, where the city is offering residents 2 grams of solid gold if they lose at least 2 kg (4.4 lbs) within 30 days, Emirates 24/7 reports.

It's all part of a contest called "Your Weight In Gold," which has been billed by the city government as a way to promote healthy living and raise awareness about sporting activities.

The deal gets sweeter with every pound people drop. Once they hit the 2 kg weight loss mark, participants are guaranteed to earn 1 extra gram of gold for each additional kilo they drop.

At today's rate, a gram (.03 oz) of gold is worth about $45, which means you'd earn $90 for dropping the initial 2 kg of weight, plus another $45 for every kg thereafter.

There's no limit to how much gold you can earn, but doctors recommend losing about 4 to 8 pounds per month (1-2 lbs/week) to stay healthy. At that rate, you could pocket $180 - $360.

It's not exactly enough to buy a new treadmill, but you could probably get all the skinny jeans you could want.

Participants can sign up at local parks and will weigh in at public scales manned by trained dieticians.

Obesity is cause for major concern in the United Arab Emirates, where it's on track to surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable death. More than two-thirds of men and nearly three-fourths of women are considered overweight.

"When people come here they become obese," Dr Fuad Ahmed, a consultant specializing in obesity surgery, told The National. "The curse of this civilization is that we have stopped using our bodies and we eat too much."

The contest begins July 19 and runs through Aug. 16.