A lit review on the efficacy of fitness wearables
Fitness wearables have become increasingly popular for tracking physical activity, weight and promoting a healthier lifestyle. Many studies have been done on them to see how effective they actually are and this article looks at the findings of various literature reviews that assess this in different health contexts, including weight loss, chronic disease management, obesity prevention in children, and overall physical activity promotion.
Effectiveness of Wearable Devices in Weight Loss Programs
Wearable activity trackers, such as Fitbit and Garmin, have gained prominence in weight loss programs for their potential to promote behaviour change. One of the most reliable way to change behaviour is to change environment and wearables, to some extent, do this by providing reminders or analysis into your biometrics. A systematic review by Cheatham et al. (2018) evaluated the efficacy of these devices as part of structured weight loss programs. The review concluded that while wearables can effectively increase physical activity levels and help with weight management, their success often depends on user engagement and the integration of other supportive measures such as counselling and nutritional guidance.
Source: Cheatham, S.W., Stull, K.R., & Fantigrassi, M. (2018). ResearchGate PDF
Unfortunately, I can predict that this is probably the case for most people where your success depends still highly on individual willpower as a lot of people will get a fitness tracker, maybe with the hopes of getting in better shape, but then run out of motivation. This is because I believe fitness trackers just don't change your environment enough to observe the behaviour change that could warrant a "success" in the eyes of the wearable. However, at the same time, many people just want a fitness wearable because they're cool and don't actually use them for exercise so maybe the definition of success being getting fitter doesn't actual fit those people.
Impact on Chronic Disease Management
The use of wearables in managing chronic diseases has shown promising results. Mattison et al. (2022) conducted a systematic review to examine the influence of wearables on health outcomes in patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The review highlighted that wearables could significantly enhance self-management by enabling continuous monitoring and feedback, potentially reducing hospital visits and improving overall quality of life. However, the review also noted that long-term adherence to using these devices remains a challenge.
Source: Mattison, G., Canfell, O., Forrester, D., & Dobbins, C. (2022). JMIR
Wearables in Obesity Prevention Among Children and Adolescents
A systematic review by Wang et al. (2022) explored the effectiveness of wearable devices in preventing and treating obesity among children and adolescents. The study found that these devices, when combined with structured interventions, effectively promoted physical activity and reduced sedentary behaviour. The positive outcomes were particularly notable when the use of wearables was coupled with family-based or school-based health promotion programs.
Source: Wang, W., Cheng, J., Song, W., & Shen, Y. (2022). JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Here you can see where there was another change in environment (the family or school-based health program) which had a significant impact on the behaviour of the wearer.
Promoting Physical Activity Among Adults
Coughlin and Stewart (2016) conducted a review focusing on the role of consumer wearable devices in promoting physical activity among adults. The study included various randomised controlled trials that measured changes in physical activity levels. Results indicated that wearables could significantly increase users' daily step counts and overall physical activity. However, the effectiveness was often dependent on individual motivation and sustained engagement.
Source: Coughlin, S.S., & Stewart, J. (2016). NCBI
Again, dependant upon the user's motivation/willpower which just adds to the evidence that wearables alone don't create enough of an environment change to behaviour change.
Wearable Technology Applications in Healthcare Settings
Wu and Luo (2019) provided a comprehensive overview of wearable technology applications in healthcare. Their review covered various functionalities of wearables, such as exercise tracking, patient monitoring, and remote health interventions. The findings indicated that wearables are effective tools for chronic disease management, rehabilitation, and health promotion when integrated with broader healthcare systems.
Source: Wu, M., & Luo, J. (2019). HIMSS
Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Ferguson et al. (2022) conducted a meta-review, which aggregated data from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses to evaluate the overall effectiveness of wearable activity trackers. The findings confirmed that wearables could positively influence physical activity and health outcomes. However, they highlighted the need for more rigorous studies to assess long-term benefits and potential drawbacks such as data privacy issues and the sustainability of behavior changes induced by wearables.
Source: Ferguson, T., Olds, T., Curtis, R., & Blake, H. (2022). The Lancet Digital Health
Accuracy, Adoption, and Acceptance of Wearable Activity Trackers
Shin et al. (2019) conducted a systematic literature review focusing on the accuracy, adoption, and acceptance of wearable activity trackers. The review found that while wearables are generally accurate in measuring steps and activity levels, user acceptance and sustained use vary significantly across different demographics. Factors influencing adoption include user comfort, device design, perceived accuracy, and the social aspects of wearing the device.
Source: Shin, G., Jarrahi, M.H., Fei, Y., & Karami, A. (2019). ScienceDirect
Efficacy in Children and Adolescents
Creaser et al. (2021) examined the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearable activity trackers in increasing physical activity among children and adolescents. The review highlighted that wearables are well-accepted by younger users and can effectively promote an active lifestyle when paired with engaging activities and parental support.
Source: Creaser, A.V., Clemes, S.A., Costa, S., & Hall, J. (2021). MDPI
Conclusion
The reviewed literature consistently suggests that fitness wearables are effective tools for promoting physical activity, managing weight, and improving health outcomes across different populations BUT only when there is sufficient user engagement/motivation. And how do you get consistent motivation for something? change you environment. Therefore when a wearable was integrated with another health strategy (such as a school program) long-term adherence problems could were prevented better.
So should you get one? I would say yes IF you already exercise consistently as it is important to note that buying a fitness wearable will not ensure sticking to a health program long term. There is one caveat to this: if you get one that tracks sleep. This is because sleep is super important for our health so if it helps you find how much sleep you personally need a night and maybe to keep a "streak" of high sleep scores this can be helpful. For example, the whoop band does this. However, their impact on sleep is a topic for another article.
