Learn more about the research in this article
• “The Impact of Wearable Motion Sensing Technologies on Physical Activity: A Systematic Review,” Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service: Evidence-based Synthesis Program, September 2015. In this review, researchers analyzed 14 studies that showed wearable technology had a small positive effect on physical activity and weight loss, but these positive effects were not significant. Read the full study.
• “Support or competition? How online social networks increase physical activity: A randomized controlled trial.” Preventive Medicine Reports, December 2016. In this study, 790 students (average age of 25) were randomly split into four groups that received incentives for attending fitness classes. The students either competed against each other for individual incentives, worked as a team for team incentives, received team incentives to compete against other teams or received individual incentives. Results showed that those in the group receiving team incentives to compete against other teams had the highest average attendance per week while those in teams working for team incentives had the lowest attendance. Read the full study.
• “Effect of Wearable Technology Combined With a Lifestyle Intervention on Long-term Weight Loss: The IDEA Randomized Clinical Trial.” JAMA, September 2016. In this study, 471 adults ages 18 to 35 were randomly split into two groups. Both groups were assigned a weight loss intervention program. Six months into the program, participants in one group were given a wearable device to monitor their diet and physical activity, while the other participants had to manually monitor this data. After 24 months, researchers found that participants who were given the wearable device lost less weight than those without the device. Read the full study.
• “The Comparison of a Technology-Based System and an In-Person Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention,” Obesity, September 2012. In this study, 52 overweight adults (average age of 44) were randomly assigned a weight loss program consisting of either standard in-person behavioral weight loss classes, the standard classes plus a wearable device, or the wearable device along with the weight loss program mailed to their house and monthly phone calls. After six months, researchers found that the device along with the written program and monthly phone calls produced similar weight loss results as the standard in-person program. Read the full study.
• “Systematic review of the validity and reliability of consumer-wearable activity trackers,” International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, December 2015. In this review, researchers analyzed 22 studies that showed popular wearable activity trackers were highly accurate at estimating steps but were less accurate when measuring distance, physical activity, energy expenditure and sleep. Read the full study.
• “Validation of the Fitbit One activity monitor device during treadmill walking,” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, September 2014. In this study, 30 healthy adults walked or ran on a treadmill at five different speeds wearing three Fitbit One devices. Researchers counted the steps taken by the participants and compared that with the step count recorded by the devices. They also compared the distance estimated by the devices with the distance recorded by the treadmill. Results showed that the Fitbit One was highly accurate at estimating steps but was inaccurate at measuring distance. Read a summary of the study. (A fee is required to access the full study.)
• “Validity of Consumer-Based Physical Activity Monitors for Specific Activity Types,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, August 2016. In this study, the energy expenditure and step count of 30 participants were measured during sedentary, household and exercise activities. Researchers compared these values with the energy expenditure and step count estimated by several different activity trackers. The trackers were highly accurate at estimating step count but less accurate at estimating energy expenditure. Read the full study.
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