History at a glance
- Researchers reviewed nearly 400 studies involving more than 140,000 participants who wore fitness trackers to monitor their activities and the impact on their health.
- The team found that those wearing the devices walked an average of 40 more minutes a day, while losing 2.2 pounds over five months.
- They also found positive impacts on mental health.
Using fitness trackers increases the time spent walking each day, which leads to other health improvements, according to a recent study.
Researchers from the University of South Australia reviewed nearly 400 studies involving more than 140,000 participants who wore fitness trackers to monitor their activities and the impact on their health.
The team found that those wearing the devices walked an average of 40 more minutes a day, while losing 2.2 pounds over five months.
“The overall results of the studies we reviewed show that wearable activity trackers are effective in all age groups and over long periods of time,” lead researcher Ty Ferguson said in a press release.
“They encourage people to exercise regularly, make it part of their routine and set weight loss goals.”
America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to keep up with the news.
Study co-author Carol Maher noted that while the researchers did not find or expect a “dramatic weight loss,” the findings were significant.
“The average person gains about 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) a year in weight, so losing 1 kg (2.2 lb) over five months is significant, especially when you consider that two a third of Australians are overweight or obese.”
More than 40 percent of American adults age 20 and older are classified as obese, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The current study shows that the devices’ effect on blood pressure, cholesterol and quality-of-life issues such as pain were “usually small and often not significant.” However, the researchers found positive impacts on mental health.
“The other reported benefit is that WATs improved depression and anxiety through increased physical activity,” Ferguson concluded.
READ MORE STORIES FROM CHANGING AMERICA
STUDY SAYS DEPRESSION IS NOT CAUSED BY A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE IN THE BRAIN
EXERCISE MORE THAN RECOMMENDED CAN EXTEND YOUR LIFE: STUDY
About half of older Americans can’t afford essential expenses: report
STUDY FINDS WEAKNESS MAY BE SIGN OF UNDERLYING HEALTH PROBLEMS
WHY PUT SOLAR PANELS ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER?
Posted on July 26, 2022