The results of a two-year study show that fitness trackers aren’t a reliable means of supporting weight loss over a long term period.
Irony: 1, Fitness trackers: 0. At least that’s what it seems like after the results of a two-year study indicate that gym-goers who use fitness trackers are more likely to pack on kilograms than shed them.
The study, entitled Effect of Wearable Technology Combined With a Lifestyle Intervention on Long-term Weight Loss, revealed that overweight dieters who used fitness trackers to try and live a healthier lifestyle actually gained more weight than a rival group which used traditional dieting plans.
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The study, which was authored by John Jakicic of the University of Pittsburgh – and has been published in JAMA – contradicts earlier trials which revealed that trackers can actually boost weight loss.
The study – which was a far longer endeavour than any preceding investigation – suggests that technology might not be well-equipped to deal with larger health problems than the occasional session at gym.
“œI think we have to be a little bit cautious about simply thinking that what we can do is just add technology to these already effective interventions and expect better results,“ Jakicic said.
The study involved 471 young adults aged 18-35 who were overweight. For the first six months, all participants had to stick to a low-calorie diet, fitness plan, maintain a diet diary, and attend counselling sessions. After six months, the entire group lost weight and had – on average- lost 7-8kgs.
Following that, the participants were divided into two groups, wherein one used a fitness tracker for 18 months while the other had to log their activity into a website. As a result, both groups gained weight – but the group using a journal walked away from the experiment 5kgs lighter, whereas the group using fitness trackers only lost a total of 3kgs.
The results are surprising, though they don’t provide any insight as to why wearables weren’t effective in assisting the process of weight loss.
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Jakicic cites that future studies will be needed to eliminate variables, though the more pressing goal would be for his research time to “try to understand for whom and when these devices are actually very effective.“
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Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
See the study on JAMA
Source: Ars Technica
