Some of the links on this website are affiliate links to the products. At no additional cost to you, we’ll earn a commission if you click through and buy any recommended product.
Today you’ll find fitness trackers everywhere – from counting steps to monitoring your heart rate and sleep, they are now a common wearable device among people. Well, do you know how accurate our fitness trackers are? Let’s take a deep dive into that.
In this blog post, we will find the science behind the accuracy of fitness, trackers, and take a look into the various sensors used in these small gadgets.
First off,
How Accurate are Fitness Trackers?
Fitness trackers have become a must-have gadget in today’s busy world. As technology evolved, these wearable devices ensure accuracy in your step counts, heart rate, sleep, and other activities. But it’s a common question, “Do fitness trackers really provide accurate data about your fitness and health?”
Accuracy Actually Matters in Fitness Tracking
When it comes to fitness tracking, accuracy actually matters. The main work of fitness trackers is to measure your health metrics and output data so that you can analyze your health and fitness levels and improve accordingly.
So the data should be accurate so that you can efficiently achieve your health goals.
According to a paper published by National Institutes of Health, we cannot fully accept the accuracy of health data measured by wearable devices
What’s The Science Behind Fitness Trackers
Fitness trackers are equipped with different types of sensors that not only count your steps, but different aspects of your body, such as heart rate, calories burned, sleep quality, etc. Even today, there are fitness trackers which can measure your blood pressure and ECG.
The whole process of measuring your activity by these devices is very complex which consists of sensors, algorithms, and data processing. If you want to know how accurate are fitness trackers, then you must understand the science behind the whole process of a fitness tracker.
How Fitness Tracker Works
As I have told you above, fitness trackers work with the help of sensors and algorithms. When you wear these devices, they start tracking your movement, heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, etc through different types of sensors provided behind them, that touch your body.
The measurement data is then sent to a predefined algorithm and then processed to show the visuals on the screen. These visuals are the insights like step counts, calories, sleep cycle, etc.
Different Sensors Used in Fitness Trackers
Fitness trackers are equipped with different types of sensors that measure your body and its movement from different aspects.
Some of them are,
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Optical Heart Rate Sensor
- Barometer
These sensors are used separately and combined to measure your step counts, heart rate, etc. Accelerometers and gyroscopes measure your body orientation and movement while you are walking or running, send that data to a set of algorithms and that algorithm provides the step counts accordingly.
When these sensors are combined with a barometer, the fitness tracker can also measure the stairs you use throughout the day.
Algorithms and Data Processing
The best thing is that fitness trackers can measure and show you real-time insights. When a sensor collects any data it sends that raw data to the algorithm where it’s processed.
The algorithm evaluates the meaning of this row data and generates accurate metrics like steps, heart rate, and calories burned. When you continuously wear your fitness tracker, this algorithm evolves with time, and with the help of machine learning, it improves its accuracy.
Types of Measurement Metrics Used in Fitness Trackers
A fitness tracker can measure several types of metrics belonging to your health and fitness activities.
Some common metrics are,
- Step counter
- Heart rate monitoring
- Calories burned
- Sleep cycle monitoring
- Maps and navigation
- Altitude
- Blood pressure
- Blood oxygen level
- Distance traveled in walking and cycling
- And even different types of sports activities
A fitness tracker. Combine all these metrics to measure your overall health and give you insights to improve it accordingly.
Accuracy of Common Metrics
Fitness trackers track various metrics, such as steps, heart rate, calories, sleep cycle, Sports, etc. Let’s take a look at these metrics in detail and understand how accurately your fitness tracker can measure them.
Steps Counter
This is the basic feature of any fitness tracker, which counts your steps throughout the day and shows you how many counts you have achieved on that particular day. Well, when you wear a step tracker on your wrist and you move your hand, the fitness tracker may count this movement as a step. Similarly, if you are cycling or running on a treadmill, then the step tracker may not measure the steps accurately.
We cannot say that the steps your fitness tracker tracks are accurate. Although it’s not accurate, but the accuracy is between 90-95%.
Heart Rate Monitoring Sensor
Fitness Trackers equipped with Optical Sensor can measure heart rate. which detects the blood flow behind your skin. Well, Optical Sensors are very accurate for resting heart rate, but they are not very accurate in intense workouts.
Especially, when you are sweating, it can mislead the sensor. Even rapid movement can affect the sensor reading. Generally, optical sensors are 85-90% accurate in measuring the heart rate.
Calories Burned Counter
The most tricky work of the fitness tracker is tracking “Calories Burned”. Because it can not be tracked directly by a sensor. It depends on your age, weight, gender, metabolism, etc.
Fitness trackers track calories based on combined heart rate and motion. This cannot give you an accurate estimation of calories burned. However, it can be useful for providing an idea of calories burned but not 100% accurate.
Sleep Tracking and Analysis
For sleep tracking, fitness trackers use heart rate and movement data combinedly. This data is sent and processed through an algorithm and differentiates between light sleep, deep sleep, and awakening time.
Well, this data is close to accurate but REM cannot be measured accurately by a fitness tracker. If you toss and turn frequently then the tracker may process inaccurate data.
Research shows us that an average fitness tracker is 79-90% accurate in tracking sleep cycles.
Factors That Affect Fitness Tracker’s Accuracy
There are multiple factors that affect the accuracy of fitness trackers. Such as whether you have worn your fitness tracker, whether you are wearing it daily or occasionally, and which model and brand of fitness tracker, you are using.
These all factors affect the accuracy of your fitness tracker. Let’s understand these factors in detail.
Device Placement and Wearing Habit
The placement of your fitness tracker affects the most on the accuracy. While most patient fitness trackers are wristbands, when you wear them 2-3 inches above your wrist they will provide more accurate data.
If you wear it tightly, then the data can be distorted, so the manufacturers suggest us to wear it snugly.
When you are tracking sleep, the placement matters a lot. If the fitness tracker is not adjusted correctly, then your sleep data may be distorted.
Behavior and Activities of User
Manufacturers suggest us wear the fitness tracker regularly so that the algorithm can be adjusted according to your body and the data you will be provided can be most accurate.
In the case of step counts, whether you are cooking or typing, it can be counted as steps by your fitness tracker. When you are cycling or doing stationary exercise exercises, the same problem, you will face. The solution is to take them off during these activities.
Different Brands and Models
Different brands and models of fitness trackers can provide different levels of accuracy. Premium fitness trackers and smartwatches are equipped with high-quality sensors, so they can provide you with more accurate data compared to budget fitness trackers.
Premium fitness trackers like Apple, Fitbit, and Garmin have more advanced sensors that can measure the data accurately. Also, the premium fitness trackers have advanced algorithms compared to the basic ones of the budget trackers.
Premium brands provide you with regular software updates that can improve the accuracy of tracking.
Pros and Cons of Fitness Trackers
Pros
Fitness trackers motivate you to stay active
You can set your fitness goals and follow them
They can monitor your health
Fitness trackers are portable yet powerful smart device
They inspire you to be accountable
They are user-friendly
Cons
The data they provide are not 100% accurate
You can be overdependent on technology
They are not suitable for medical advice
How to Improve Fitness Tracker Accuracy
Fitness trackers provide reliable data only one condition is that you must use them correctly. If you want to improve the accuracy of your fitness tracker then you should follow some important steps like proper placement, regular use, regular calibration, and other additional tools as suggested by the particular fitness tracker manufacturer.
Proper Placement and Calibration
Wear your fitness trackers correctly, avoid movement interference like when you are cooking or typing like me then take it off that time.
Use Additional Tools for Validation
If your fitness tracker needs to be calibrated the blood pressure, distance, and other measurements then you must do as per the instructions.
Update the software from time to time. Well, most manufacturers provide automatic software updates regularly. Just download and install the updates.
Sync the tracker with the companion app regularly. Like, my Samsung Watch is always in sync with the Samsung health app to provide in-hand data on the screen.
The Future of Fitness Tracker Accuracy
A Study by HFE, shows us the different insights on the future of Fitness Trackers in the context of health and wellness. You must read that article.
Fitness trackers are very useful devices in today’s busy life. With the evolution in wearable technology, It’s now much more than a step counter. They are getting more accurate and advanced with time.
Fitness trackers are the future of health and wellness. They will become more precise in the future and capable of providing more accurate health and fitness data.
With the entrance of machine learning algorithms and AI-powered insights and predictions, they can provide you with more accurate data in the future. Soon, they can be used as a companion for medical and healthcare.
Conclusion
Well, fitness trackers are now very advanced beyond the first released pedometers. Still, they are not sufficient to provide you with accurate health and fitness data.
You cannot solely rely on fitness trackers for your health metrics. But, you can improve their accuracy with proper placement, and other validation methods.
In the future, I think, they will become capable of providing the most accurate health and fitness data like medical devices.
Till then, use them as a companion for your health and fitness metrics.
If you are interested in buying a fitness tracker then you should read my blog post – Top 10 Smartwatches For Outdoor Adventure in 2024
Read also,
