As MAHA sweeps the nation, people are finding a renewed interest in their health. Fitness trackers have been all the rage for people who want to track steps, sleep patterns, and even blood oxygen levels. However, a new study suggests these devices aren’t accurate for everyone, especially those who are overweight.
Fitness Trackers Aren’t Accurate for the Obese
“Almost one in three Americans uses a wearable device, such as a smart watch or band, to track their health and fitness, according to thousands of adults who participated in the Health Information National Trends Survey,” the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute reported in 2023. Fitness trackers are a good way to keep people motivated while inspiring them to walk more and live healthier – unless you’re already on the heavy side, it seems. Then they can become frustrating.
Scientific Reports – an open-access journal focusing on "natural sciences, psychology, medicine and engineering" – released new research this month that suggests fitness trackers are not accurate for those who are overweight. The algorithms are designed more for users within a normal weight range and don’t account for gait, walking speed, or the energy expended when carrying extra pounds. According to the National Library of Medicine, overweight people often walk differently than their healthier peers. Among other differences, walking speeds tend to be slower and have shorter strides.
Senior researcher Nabil Alshurafa, an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, submitted a press release announcing a new algorithm he and his team have been working on that could change the way fitness trackers work. “People with obesity could gain major health insights from activity trackers, but most current devices miss the mark,” he explained. Lab testing for his new algorithm achieved over 95% accuracy in real-world situations, according to the study.
Alshurafa said he was inspired to work on a better algorithm after going to the gym with his mother-in-law, who was overweight. “She worked harder than anyone else, yet when we glanced at the leaderboard, her numbers barely registered. That moment hit me: fitness shouldn’t feel like a trap for the people who need it most.”
Do the Devices Work?
Diet and exercise – we hear that phrase a lot in terms of how to achieve and maintain a healthy mind and body. Fitness trackers help by counting our steps, giving goals for improvement, and reminding us to drink enough water and get enough sleep. Some even monitor oxygen levels and calorie intake. The global fitness tracker market was valued at $62.03 billion in 2024, according to Fortune Business Insights; North America had a 47% share of those sales. It certainly seems as though people are eager to stay in shape.
Fast Company, though, suggests otherwise. Professors of kinesiology – the science of human body movement – at Boise State, the University of Tennessee, and the University of North Florida collected and studied research published over the past 25 years. “Our systematic review of data from eight developed nations around the world shows that despite the surge in sales of fitness trackers, physical activity declined from 1995 to 2017,” they wrote. “What’s more, we discovered that this was not an isolated effect in one or two countries, but a widespread trend.”
Do fitness trackers really work? That depends on a few factors. They can certainly be a great motivator, especially for those who have sedentary jobs or lifestyles. Knowing you need to walk 10,000 steps and seeing your progress – or lack thereof – can get you out of a chair to take some steps. Watching your improvement may also inspire a more regular exercise program.
Nurse Practitioner Lorraine Britting, clinical director of Advanced Practice in Cardiology Medicine at the CardioVascular Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, told Boston Magazine that these trackers can also help dieters by monitoring calorie intake. “Many people have no idea how much they’re eating and totally underestimate how many calories they’re taking in,” she said. “You can actually track how many calories you’re expending and how many calories you eat, and then ask yourself if you have enough calories left for that dessert.”
So fitness trackers certainly can be a great motivational tool for some, but they're a hindrance for others - or just plain useless, in some cases. Like many trendy health gizmos, they have a long way to go.
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