Are fitness trackers worth it? Discover 7 science-backed truths about accuracy, motivation, weight loss, cost, privacy, and who should buy one.

Are fitness trackers worth it? Discover 7 science-backed truths about accuracy, motivation, weight loss, cost, privacy, and who should buy one.

Background: Smartwatch #ActivityTrackers are devices that measure #PhysicalActivity levels with features that aim to encourage physically active behaviors. These devices have shown promise for increasing #PhysicalActivity levels and reducing sedentary behaviors among school-aged #Children, #Adolescents, and adults. Recently, commercially available products have been adapted so that they are suitable for use by preschool-aged #Children. However, it is unclear whether the intended use of these devices is feasible and effective in young #Children. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore #Parents’ perspectives on the use of smartwatch #ActivityTrackers by young #Children. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 #Parents (17/22, 77% female) of #Children aged 3-5 years. Interviews explored perspectives on the feasibility of their #Children wearing the devices, implications of use by young #Children, and how families could make use of these devices to support their #Children’s physically active behaviors. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and data analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: #Parents perceived that the use of these devices by young #Children is feasible, with developmental stage or abilities and personality or temperament being important individual determinants of feasibility. However, #Parents expressed concerns related to the devices providing extrinsic motivation to move, being disruptive or distracting, being a burden on #Parents, and for the safety and privacy of their #Child’s information. Most #Parents believed that young #Children are inherently active and do not need devices to support #PhysicalActivity. Furthermore, most #Parents expressed an interest in knowing how physically active their #Children were and thought that there may be a role for these devices for #Children who are less physically active. Conclusions: #Parents reported developmental stage or abilities and temperament as relevant considerations related to the feasibility of smartwatch #ActivityTracker use by young #Children. #Parents also indicated that there is a potential role for these devices in young, less active #Children.

Background: Pediatric obesity continues to be a national health crisis. Parents play a critical role in obesity interventions. Digital health interventions, like personal activity trackers (PATs), can help better engage parents in pediatric obesity interventions and improve outcomes. Objective: 1) Assess the #feasibility and acceptability of implementing personal activity trackers as part of a comprehensive family-based lifestyle intervention for pediatric obesity (BodyWorks) in a federally qualified health center. 2) Evaluate the impact of personal activity trackers on parents on child anthropometrics and the overall program. 3) Examine the associations between steps/day and usage (minutes) with body composition outcomes. Methods: : In this randomized controlled trial, 158 families were randomized to receive the BodyWorks (BW) curriculum alone (control) or BW plus a PAT for the parent (intervention). Data were collected at baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks). Child weight outcomes, including BMI, BMI z-score, and BMI percent of the 95th percentile (%BMIp95), were compared using generalized estimating equations. Parent and child PAT usage was analyzed with multivariable models Results: There were no baseline differences between groups. After adjustment, children in the intervention group had significantly greater reductions in BMI z-score compared to controls (–0.035 vs –0.001; p for interaction = 0.009). There were no significant differences in %BMIp95. Among intervention participants, each 1,000-step increase per day was associated with a 0.009 increase in BMI z-score (p = 0.005). Most parents reported high satisfaction with PATs; 95% agreed or strongly agreed that devices were easy to use and motivating Conclusions: PATs are feasible and acceptable tools for engaging families in pediatric obesity programs. While short-term weight outcomes showed modest benefit, further research is needed to assess clinical significance and long-term effects. Digital health tools may enhance engagement in low-resource settings without exacerbating the digital divide. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03215641; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03215641

Een horloge dat berekent hoe goed je hebt geslapen – sommige gebruikers raken er zelfs van in de stress als hun ‘herstelscore’ niet hoog genoeg is. Zijn dit soort ‘activitytrackers’ nu flauwekul, of…