3074: Are Fitness Trackers and Sleep Tracking Devices Accurate and Worth the Cost

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Episode 3074:

Fitness trackers can be a great short-term motivator for increasing daily movement, but their accuracy varies depending on the activity. While they reliably estimate step count and heart rate, they tend to miscalculate calories burned, sleep duration, and travel distances. To maintain motivation beyond the initial excitement, incorporating challenges, friendly competitions, or group tracking can help sustain engagement.

Quotes to ponder:

"Most fitness trackers are pretty good about estimating the number of steps you take each day, but when it comes to estimating the number of calories burned, they tend to underestimate."

"It turns out that fitness trackers do keep folks motivated but in the short term."

"If purchasing a fitness tracker helps someone go from exercising sporadically to becoming more committed and consistent, even in the short term, then by all means, it’s worth it."

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