{"id":41412,"date":"2021-03-08T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-08T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medicalnewsbulletin.com\/?p=41412"},"modified":"2024-05-10T00:48:49","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T04:48:49","slug":"how-does-fitbit-track-calories-burned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medicalnewsbulletin.com\/how-does-fitbit-track-calories-burned\/","title":{"rendered":"How does Fitbit track calories burned?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Monitoring individual physical activity is an effective and important method to promote a healthy lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does Fitbit track calories burned? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit tracking devices measure both physical activity and health statistics, such as oxygen saturation, step count, heart rate, and calories burned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitness trackers have become increasingly popular as both, science and technology, continue to evolve in the 21st century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company, \u201cFitbit Inc<\/em>\u201d from California, USA holds 20% of the market share value for wearable tracking technologies. Fitbit Inc. sells a variety of different products including fitness trackers, smart scales, and smartwatches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitness super watches like the Fitbit Surge, have an integrated GPS, a touchscreen monitor, and wireless syncing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are calories and why do they matter? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Calories are a measurement of energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calories are essential for the metabolism of the basic functional macromolecules. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When food begins to break down, it releases this energy which may be used immediately or stored for later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The intake of calories from food nourishes the body\u2019s cells with the energy required to perform daily tasks such as thinking, walking, and talking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The intake of excessive amounts of calories may lead to obesity. Obesity is a growing problem, particularly in Western societies, increasing the risk of chronic disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to helping maintain a healthy weight, studies show that restricting calorie intake can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, oxidative stress, and cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What factors can influence daily caloric needs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Factors such as gender, age, weight, and height can affect daily caloric intake needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, women on average should limit themselves to 1500 calories to lose 1 pound per week. Whereas men require 500 more calories to lose 1 pound per week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These averages vary depending on age, weight, and height. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Physical activity encourages daily calorie burn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating healthy and staying active can help individuals with obesity lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does the fitness tracking technology work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most fitness tracking devices are worn on the wrist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? In comparison to other places on the body, the wrist serves both comfort and user-friendliness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit devices are wrist-worn technologies that use a triaxial accelerometer to measure body motion in 3D space. The device uses algorithms to measure step count, heart rate, calories burned, basal metabolic rate, and sleep.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step count<\/a> is measured by a sensor that responds to elevation (1 floor = 10 feet). Fitbit does not count steps from walking down a flight of stairs or exercising on the \u201cStairMaster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capillaries expand and contract when the heart beats. Heart rate is measured by another sensor in the Fitbit that responds to volumetric changes in the capillaries of the wrist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This feature is especially useful when determining the intensity of a workout or exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does Fitbit track calories burned?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit devices integrate measurements of basal metabolic rate and breathing, heart rate, and other daily physical activity data to accurately measure the number of calories burned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basal metabolic rate is calculated by manually logging data into the app such as sex, age, height, and weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accuracy study<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One study compared the accuracy of Fitbit Flex<\/em> and Actigraph GT3X+<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals wore both these devices while performing activities such as incline walking, running, and stepping. Activity energy expenditure from Fitbit was 808.1 calories while the Actigraph was 538.6 calories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study concluded that Fitbit overall does have moderate validity and reliability for measuring physical activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants over the age of 65 participated in a study comparing Fitbit Charge 2<\/em> and Garmin vivosmart HR+<\/em>. The results varied widely but the Fitbit showed the best results in terms of accuracy and validity, in comparison to Garmin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit and other wearables provide a way to track the number of calories burned through physical activity by combing various health data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though technology may have its flaws, the Fitbit calorie estimate is an overall helpful tool in determining the next steps to a healthy lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do the experts suggest to us?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Experts suggest that adults should be getting at least 150 minutes per week of physical exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intense exercises are not a necessity for weight loss or burning calories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking, riding a bike to work, or taking the stairs are simple activities that can increase calories burned and boost overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit and Mental Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When considering physical health, it is just as important to consider mental health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One study examined the approach of Fitbit use in therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans. Veterans were asked what motivated them to use or not use Fitbit during their treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increasing self-awareness, promoting social interactions, and supporting other veterans were the three motives for Fitbit use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unable to understand the purpose and data of Fitbit and its issues in the veteran-provider relationship were motives to avoid Fitbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit and other wearable technologies have the potential to serve (alongside many other therapeutics) in the treatment and management of mental health programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitbit – https:\/\/www.fitbit.com\/global\/us\/home<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feehan, L. M., Geldman, J., Sayre, E. C., Park, C., Ezzat, A. M., Yoo, J. Y., Hamilton, C. B., & Li, L. C. (2018). Accuracy of Fitbit Devices: Systematic Review and Narrative Syntheses of Quantitative Data. JMIR mHealth and uHealth<\/em>, 6<\/em>(8), e10527. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/10527<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lewis, Z. H., Pritting, L., Picazo, A. L., & JeanMarie-Tucker, M. (2020). The utility of wearable fitness trackers and implications for increased engagement: An exploratory, mixed methods observational study. Digital health<\/a><\/em>, 6<\/em>, 2055207619900059. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2055207619900059<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sushames, A., Edwards, A., Thompson, F., McDermott, R., & Gebel, K. (2016). Validity and Reliability of Fitbit Flex for Step Count, Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Activity Energy Expenditure. PloS one<\/em>, 11<\/em>(9), e0161224. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0161224<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Osilla EV, Safadi AO, Sharma S. Calories. [Updated 2020 Aug 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK499909\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yang Y. J. (2019). An Overview of Current Physical Activity Recommendations in Primary Care. Korean journal of family medicine<\/em>, 40<\/em>(3), 135\u2013142. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4082\/kjfm.19.0038<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ng, A., Reddy, M., Zalta, A. K., & Schueller, S. M. (2018). Veterans’ Perspectives on Fitbit Use in Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Interview Study. JMIR mental health<\/em>, 5<\/em>(2), e10415. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/10415<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tedesco S, Sica M, Ancillao A, Timmons S, Barton J, O’Flynn B
Validity Evaluation of the Fitbit Charge2 and the Garmin vivosmart HR+ in Free-Living Environments in an Older Adult Cohort
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2019;7(6):e13084<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image by\u00a0Vidmir Raic\u00a0from\u00a0Pixabay\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Relevant topics that may be of interest:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n