Fitness Trackers: Accurate For Heart Rates, Not So Much For Calories

Fitness trackers were noted to be very good in estimating heart rates, but not so accurate with calories.

A team of scientists from Stanford University decided to test the efficiency of fitness trackers in monitoring heart rates and energy expenditures or calories. According to their results, while the devices were quite accurate and useful in determining the heart rate, they were still far off for the other.

The researchers tested the efficiency of seven of the most common and used fitness trackers on the market. These were analyzed with help from 60 volunteers. The participants were asked to wear the devices while running, walking, and cycling, all at different levels.

The Fitness Trackers Offered Either Really Good or Very Off Estimates

According to the study team, they were quite surprised by the research results. The researchers set 10 percent as the acceptable error rate. After collecting the data from the fitness devices, they compared it to information collected from EKGs.

“Most devices most of the time were ‘off’ by only about 5 percent,” said Euan Ashley, a study co-author and cardiologist at the Stanford University Medical Center.

These were the results obtained after comparing heart rates. Six out of the seven tested devices were below the error point and seemingly quite useful.

But for the energy expenditure, the results were quite the opposite. Out of the seven devices, only one fitness tracker was somewhat closer to the margin. It had an inaccuracy rate of 27 percent. The least accurate reading was 93 percent off of the actual calories value, according to the team.

As it is, the study team did not establish a cause for this significant difference in the calories values of the fitness trackers. However, they do argue that it is quite hard to develop a device that could accurately fit each and every wearer. The accuracy of the results can depend on the height, weight, activity levels, and several other factors as well.

Some of the makers of the tested fitness trackers issued statements on the matter expressing their confidence in their products. Another questioned if the study team set up the proper parameters for the users of its device.

Study results were released earlier this week in the Journal of Personalized Medicine.

Image Source: Pixabay

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Roxanne Briean

I am a geek, a gamer and a writer. I have always been fascinated with the online community. At the moment I work as a full-time writer and study interior design. When I'm not scouring the net in search of interesting new gadgets and software I spend my time in MOBAs or drawing.