Aileen Nakhle.

devices, the more you can do with the data.

For example, devices like the Fitbit Aria scale can measure weight and body mass, automatically uploading the results to a companion website. But, being part of the Fitbit range, it can also correlate your daily weight data with your daily activity data.

He says with some of the devices, users can connect with other users and be motivated by similarly health-conscious people.

He adds that tracking your own body and lifestyle data gives you more control over your own wellbeing – at least compared with someone who relies on their sixmonthly or annual visits to a doctor to track their health status.

In other words, it puts more onus on personal responsibility.

Tracking is not a mainstream activity yet, but it could be. Apps are set to become easier to use and simply run in the background of daily life.

Currently, a lot of the tools require some effort to use – ‘‘like Fitbit, I have to put that onto my belt every day – and with MyFitnessPal I have to track my food consumption every day’’. That might prevent a lot of people from adopting the tools or using them properly.

With the new devices coming out, tracking our health will become more popular, predicts MacManus.

‘‘Hopefully [tracking] will become more part of the background,’’ he says. That could happen via the upcoming Apple Watch, for example, that people may wear on their wrist every day, or simply as a result of health apps becoming integrated with smartphones.

MacManus also believes there’ll be greater usage of health apps once the medical establishment gets behind them more.

Currently there are very limited ways to merge your own tracking records with your doctor’s electronic medical records, but he thinks that is likely in the longer-term.

Once doctors see the benefit of people taking responsibility for their own health, they might well encourage their use, he says.