Wearable fitness devices offer no 'advantage' over standard weight-loss approaches

Young, overweight or obese adults who added wearable fitness trackersto their weight-loss plans failed to shed more pounds, U.S. researchers studying more than 470people have found.

Wearable devices such as Fitbit and Jawbone UPare marketed to monitor physical activity, as well as other efforts including monitoringdiets;though thosedevices weren't the ones used in the study.

To determine whether wearables contribute to weight loss over the long term, researchers had471 individualsaged 18 to 35 participate in a six-month clinical trial of a low-calorie diet, prescribed increases in physical activity and group counselling.

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The subjects were then randomly assigned to another six months of telephone counselling, text message reminders in addition to donninga wearable device to self-monitor their diet and physical activity, or access to a website as a control.

Men and womenin the study had a body mass index (BMI)of 25 to less than 40. The index is based onheight and weight, with ascore over 30 considered obese.

After two years, weight loss was about fivepounds less among those in the wearable devices group compared with subjects in the standard group (using the website), JohnJakicicof the University of Pittsburgh and his co-authors said in Tuesday's issue of JAMA(Journal of the American Medical Association.)

Weight loss was also greater in the standard group versus the wearable groupat 12 months and18 months.

"Devices that monitor and provide feedback on physical activity may not offer an advantage over standard behavioural weight-loss approaches," the researchers wrote.

Other benefits

Both groups had significant improvements in body composition, fitness, physical activityand diet, with no significant difference between groups, they said.

In total, 75 per cent of participants completed the study.

Estimated average weights for the group wearing trackerswere 212 pounds at study entry and 205 pounds at 24 months, resulting in an average weight loss of about 7.7 pounds.

In comparison, those in the websitegroup started out at210 pounds when the study began and weighed in at197 pounds at 24 months, for an average loss of 13 pounds.

Still, Jakicicsaid in anemail:"We should not send the message that thesewearable technologies do not help with weight loss there weresome in our study for whom it made a difference.

"There is so much more that we need tolearn about how these devices lead to behaviour change."

The reason for the difference in weight loss between the twogroups warrants further investigation, the study says.

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Keeping weight off is notoriously difficult. The researchers called their findings important because of the lack of data to support effective weight-loss approaches in young adults, who have a high prevalence of overweight and obesity.

Weight loss also isn't the only end point that might changewith a wearable device, saidGary Miller of Wake Forest University Health and ExerciseDepartment in Winston-Salem, N.C. Hewasn't involvedin the study.

"The comparison group is really not the average person outthere," Miller told Reuters Health. "There are so many factorsthat affect weight loss, it's difficult to say that thesedevices aren't worthwhile or aren't necessary for people justbased on weight loss."

The results can't be applied to other ages.

Participants in the study were provided with a BodyMedia Fit Core, a wearable activity tracker worn on the upper arm. The Fit Core trackssteps, hours slept and calories burned and costs about $100 US.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Some of the study's authors received honoraria for serving on the scientific advisory board for Weight Watchers International or have received a grant from a wearable maker.

Wearable tech and weight loss

8 years ago

Duration 4:15

John Jakicic says people are relying on technology too much and the devices might give people a false sense of security