How Accurate Are Fitness Trackers?

Smartwatches can help people achieve their fitness goals. This is because most smart wearables today have fitness trackers that can track your sleeping pattern, monitor your heart rate, and even count the steps you’ve taken. Through these features, you can design a customized workout plan to attain your fitness goals. Although smartwatches today are becoming innovative, some people still doubt the accuracy of these devices. In this article, let’s answer the question that most of you want to know, “How accurate are fitness trackers?”

Why People Are Drawn To Smartwatches

Smartwatches for women and men can provide many exciting features that you can’t find in a traditional watch. Besides timekeeping, you can also use these devices to perform smartphone-related tasks like taking and receiving calls and sending and receiving text messages. You can also play your favorite songs while wearing these stylish devices. Aside from these things, smartwatches can help you with your workouts by helping you design your workout plans.

With all the things a smartwatch can provide, no wonder many people are getting interested in these devices. Although they are pretty expensive than standard watches, you can get your money’s worth with these smart wearables. Even parents are also investing in a kids smart watch because they can help locate where their children are through GPS. Many people have already proven the benefits of smartwatches. However, those who have never tried using a smart wearable doubt the accuracy of smartwatches as fitness trackers.

Are Fitness Trackers Accurate?

Most smart wearables today, including smartwatches for kids, can track steps, measure heart rate, and monitor sleep patterns. They can also calculate basal metabolic rate and the calories you’ve burned from the physical activities you have for the day. But can you rely on the statistics given to you by these devices? 

According to tech experts, smartwatches can help you in your fitness goals, but their results are not 100% accurate. For instance, smartwatches don’t precisely count each step you take. This is because smart wearables have accelerometers that use electromagnetic sensors to pick up on motion. The fitness trackers you wear can interpret the said information using an algorithm recognized as a step.

This is further explained in a 2019 study wherein 18 senior citizens were asked to stroll on some treadmills while wearing fitness trackers. These devices were strapped to their wrists and ankles, while others were fastened to their belts and wrapped around their chests. Though the subjects wore these trackers, the seniors couldn’t get an accurate step count. The reason for this is their movements were too slow, which triggered the sensors in the devices.

Smartwatches with fitness trackers are unique devices that can help you with your everyday tasks. Although some studies show they are not that accurate, you can still use them to have an idea of your health statistics to achieve your fitness goals. Besides, different smartwatch brands today are innovating their products to improve the accuracy of fitness trackers. To learn some of them, read our reviews of the best smartwatches in the market today.

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