Brace yourself, tech-savvy fitness buffs: a new study out of the U.S. has found that wearable activity trackers do not help you lose weight.
published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, examined whether the use of commercially available wearable devices were effective for helping to shed the pounds, and sustain the weight loss.
The 24-month trial, conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, found that the use of activity trackers with a weight loss program resulted in less weight loss as compared to those doing the program without a wearable device.
鈥淚n fact, participants without physical activity trackers showed nearly twice the weight loss benefits at the end of the 24 months,鈥� a statement read.
The study examined 470 individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, with a body mass index between 25 and 39 at the start of the trial. The participants were placed on low-calorie diets, and told to increase physical activity. They also received group-counselling sessions on health and nutrition.
After six months, the participants broke into two groups: Those that continued to receive health counselling, and those who received an activity tracker to monitor diet and physical activity.
Participants using the wearable devices reported an average weight loss of 7.7 lbs., while those who only participating in health counselling reported an average loss of 13 lbs.
Lead researcher John Jakicic said in a statement that while wearable devices are currently a 鈥減opular method鈥� to track physical activity, the findings show that adding them to a program involving physical activity and reduced calorie intake does not improve weight loss, or physical activity engagement.
鈥淭herefore, within this context, these devices should not be relied upon as tools for weight management in place of effective behavioural counselling for physical activity and diet,鈥� said Jakicic, who is also the chair of the university鈥檚 Department of Health and Physical Activity.
Jakicic said the findings are important because 鈥渆ffective long-term treatments are needed to address America鈥檚 obesity epidemic.鈥�
