Melody Teh
Body

Do fitness trackers really work?

Fitness trackers are the big accessory of the moment, with figures suggesting one in five people wear some form of wearable technology.

These nifty devices say they track everything from steps to calories burnt to sleep, but do they actually work?

Research into the market shows that 50 per cent of people stop using their wearable device within a year. And the people who are most likely to benefit from the trackers anyway are people who are already obsessed with their fitness.

"Those individuals tend to be able to take this data and literally run with it," said Dr Mitesh Patel, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Management at the University of Pennsylvania.

"Whereas the people who have chronic conditions or are obese or have diabetes, for those folks giving a device is often not enough."

Dr Patel said for the devices to be really worth their price tag they need to be paired with "effective behaviour change strategies" in order for people to improve their health.

Image: Shutterstock

Tags:
Technology, health, body, Fitness trackers