Keep on track with your fitness
Smartwatches and smartphone apps can have a significant impact on our physical activity, finds Sophie Aubrey.
Modern fitness trackers can have a significant impact on our physical activity, with new Australian research finding the technology leads to an average increase of almost 2000 daily steps.
The University of Sydney research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analysed data from 28 studies published between 2014 and last year, encompassing 7454 adults aged 18-65, without chronic disease.
Most of these studies examined step count but some looked at other factors such as distance and total active minutes. In these cases, researchers converted the data to be standardised into steps for ease of interpretation.
The review found that, on average, people’s step count had increased by 1850 a day at the 13-week follow-up when they used an app or wearable fitness tracker.
Lead author Dr Liliana Laranjo says the result is significant, as this level of increase in physical activity is associated with lower risk of premature death and of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.
Laranjo says the growing prevalence of fitness tracking apps and wearables – including the popular Apple Health software and Fitbit smartwatches – prompted her to want to understand whether the newer technology was motivating us to move more.
Past reviews have focused on older devices, such as pedometers, rather than what people are using now. Laranjo says modern trackers are effective because they promote self-monitoring, allowing people to trace their activity, compare their progress to their goal, and get feedback by graphs and tables. The review found that trackers work best when they promote personalisation – goals that are set by users or that change according to an individual’s behaviour – and when they send text messages to motivate or educate.
Laranjo hopes tech companies take on board these findings. She points out many devices still have preset goals such as achieving 10,000 steps a day but she warns that this can be demotivating, and the focus should be on increasing movement by any amount – and not just with steps.
‘‘Any increase in physical activity is good,’’ she says. ‘‘It’s not just when you reach 10,000 steps that something magic happens. That’s where personalisation is important. It should be about whatever physical activity you enjoy doing, because that’s the one you will maintain in the long term.’’
Laranjo says another challenge with activity trackers is the drop-off rate, with reports a third of people abandon their device in the first six months.
‘‘It’s one thing to demonstrate these interventions increase physical activity in the short term but for long-term health benefits we need people to increase their physical activity in the long term,’’ she says.
She hopes this can be achieved if trackers continue to enhance their customisation features and integrate more health data. The latest trackers can monitor heart rate, body temperature and stress.
Nonetheless, Laranjo says the review proves current trackers can be valuable health tools, and she encourages their use. She adds that you don’t need to invest in an expensive smartwatch to benefit.
‘‘Almost all smartphones are able to count the number of steps and just being able to walk more is great exercise,’’ she says.
She suggests health professionals and personal trainers also use the technology with clients to support behaviour change.
Accredited exercise scientist Mitchell Finn, owner of Foresight Fitness in Brisbane, says activity trackers play a role in his work.
‘‘I commonly see clients for one maybe two hours aweek and so it gives you a good idea of lifestyle and activity factors outside the gym,’’ Finn says.
He finds trackers work well for people who are detail-oriented and motivated by closely monitoring their performance, and for people who enjoy competing with others, as some devices allow friends to connect or join fitness challenges.
While the University of Sydney analysis focused on healthy adults, past research has found trackers can increase physical activity in people who are older, as well as people with chronic conditions.
Laranjo says future studies should explore whether people would still benefit from using trackers after one or two years.
The research was partly funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, and not linked to any companies that make fitness trackers.