Dubai offers gram of gold for every kilo of weight residents lose in fitness drive

And yes, they have called it ‘Your Weight in Gold’.

As slimming incentives go, this one is very well thought out. In a bid to make sure their residents are a bit healthier the director general of Dubai Municipality, Hussain Nasser Lootah, has launched an innovative scheme.

From today, for the next 30 days, participants can sign up and for every kilo they lose, they will be given a gram of gold, worth about €35, as long as you lose at least two kilos. If you do, you earn the wonderful title of ‘golden loser’.

As the scheme coincides with Ramadan, it is expected to prove popular in Dubai, as Hussain Nasser Lootah tells the BBC.

"Ramadan is the most appropriate season to launch such initiatives as it reminds us about many health benefits of reducing weight and encourages us to take strong steps to change our bad lifestyles," he said.

Those taking part have to sign up today and return for a final weigh-in on August 16.