Wearable fitness trackers are constantly updating with new devices and brands released every year each promising improved measurements an a greater user experience (Hendriksen set al 2018). In 2016, 102 million devices were shipped worldwide. 2017 saw an 20% increase and current estimations suggest healthcare wearable device sales will exceed $52B by 2024 (Ruohoniemi, 2019).
The recent purchase of Fitbit by Google for over $2B indicates the inevitability of wearable fitness and health trackers being a part of our lives eventually regardless of personal data collection and information privacy issues. But do wearable trackers increase levels of physical activity long term? Do they encourage healthier lifestyle choices? Are they only for the tech savvy athlete with a disposable income? Do they potentially add more stress?
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Most wearable fitness devices now have the capacity to measure acceleration in three directions as well as intensity, energy expenditure, and heart rate. Movement type, climate conditions and sleep patterns can be estimated and assessed and soon they will accurately read blood pressure and glucose levels, and become diagnostic tools as well. They also offer opportunities to tap into global networks of like minded communities, teams and individuals.
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Kononover et al. (2019) recently explored the factors that help and hinder long-term activity tracker use. Interestingly they found the success of the device in boosting physical activity was more through time proven techniques for behaviour change such as goal setting, self-monitoring, social support, social comparison, feedback, and rewards. In a follow up study, the main reasons people stopped using the trackers were; device breakage or loss, and technical difficulties with the device and accompanying software. Another study found that the trackers that delivered prompts via short message service were effective in increasing levels of physical activity among overweight and obese adults possibly suggesting that when combined with basic wellness education trackers can help with initial behavior change processes(Schaben & Furness 2018).
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Evidence indicates it’s the social support through collaboration with wider communities that is the strong motivator for long-term users of the fitness trackers. Other evidence suggests it’s the self-monitoring and autonomy provided by the device that motivates individuals. A sense of autonomy has been found to be effective in increasing physical activity levels by providing feelings of accomplishment and self determination (Kononover et al. 2019).
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It may be that fitness trackers alone are not enough to increase individual physical activity levels. Knowing how YOUR body works, how it responds to exercise or sleep or various intensities is key and a devise can definitely help you know and understand your body. Perhaps the only downside is the switching off. To be constantly reminded by a device worn on your wrist to stand, to rest, to eat, to hydrate, go faster, adjust intensity, or your cadence, or your intention while simultaneously monitoring your heart rate and all the while knowing your effort can be viewed by your network following your progress…. and on and on it goes… Sometimes, the benefit of physical activity is to be in nature, to be alone, to make mistakes, try something new, to fail, to escape the counting, the measuring the comparisons… it’s a fine a line and it’s important to find what works for you even on a daily basis. What are your motives for exercise today? Is it for fun, or health, to be social, to be better a sport, entry to a competition, a one off target, a weight goal? What can seem like positive motivation one day can easily become a detractor on another. Until they are a chip inserted into our flesh we can opt in or out of the monitoring devices any time we choose to.
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