Standard interventions prove better than wearables for weight loss
Wearable devices, often associated with health and fitness, may not be useful tools for weight loss, according to a new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Rather than motivating users to exercise more, the devices were actually less effective at encouraging people to lose weight than simply following a diet and exercise plan, a two-year study by the University of Pittsburgh School of Education’s Department of Health and Physical Activity found.
Users may in fact become overly dependent on the devices to help change their health, leading to a false sense of security – and they might do better by relying on a simple diet and exercise plan.
“While usage of wearable devices is currently a popular method to track physical activity — steps taken per day or calories burned during a workout — our findings show that adding them to behavioral counseling or weight loss that includes physical activity and reduced calorie intake does not improve weight loss or physical activity engagement,” John Jakicic, the study’s lead researcher and chair of Pitt’s Department of Health and Physical Activity, said in a statement. “Therefore, within this context, these devices should not be relied upon as tools for weight management in place of effective behavioral counseling for physical activity and diet.”
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In fact, participants without physical activity trackers achieved nearly twice the weight loss benefits at the end of the 24 months. Those who used wearable devices reported an average weight loss of 7.7 pounds, while those who engaged only in health counseling reported an average loss of 13 pounds.
Devices that monitor and provide feedback on physical activity do not offer an advantage over standard weight loss approaches that include behavioral counseling on physical activity and diet, the researchers concluded.
Thus, while these devices allow for ease of tracking of physical activity along with feedback and encouragement, they may not enhance adherence to the tenets of a healthy lifestyle, which is the most important aspect of any weight loss regiment.
The study followed 470 individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, 77 percent of whom were women and 29 percent were from minority communities.
All participants were placed on low-calorie diets, prescribed increases in physical activity, and received group-counseling sessions on health and nutrition. They participated in weekly health-counseling sessions for the initial six months and less frequent counseling for the last 18 months. Weight was assessed at six-month intervals throughout the 24-month trial.
At the first six-month mark, participants were divided into two subgroups: one that continued health-counseling sessions on a monthly basis and another that received a wearable device to monitor diet and physical activity. The multi-sensor device used within the study was to be worn on the upper arm and provided feedback on energy expenditure and physical activity. A website was designed to monitor results.
Over the course of the next 18 months, both groups showed significant improvements in body composition, fitness, physical activity, and diet, with no significant difference between groups. However, receiving health counseling throughout the study lost nearly twice as much weight as those who used wearable devices for three-quarters of it.
“The findings of our study are important because effective long-term treatments are needed to address America’s obesity epidemic,” Jakicic said. “We’ve found that questions remain regarding the effectiveness of wearable devices and how to best use them to modify physical activity and diet behaviors in adults seeking weight loss.”
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