Wearable fitness trackers have been consistently gaining popularity throughout the last few years. According to UCLA Health (2022), research has found that combining them with personalized guidance and reassurance could lead to significant improvements in exercise and sleep. Consequently, there is nothing wrong with such technology being recommended for use by healthcare providers. However, as has been noted by UCLA Health (2022), the wearing of various devices, from smartwatches to wristbands, often contributes to positive changes only in the short term. Motivation tends to quickly weaken, and one-third of consumers do not wear their trackers after six months. Therefore, saying that wearable technology stimulates one to exercise and monitor their health is not necessarily true, and health providers should not recommend it with such justification.
Granted, fitness devices can be beneficial in helping a person take care of themselves; however, they cannot be a single solution. According to Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (2021), wearable technology can only be a part of it, and the major focus must be on sustained change of behavior. It is a significant challenge for many, and the way trackers can be useful is by leveraging principles from health behavior theories. Modern wearables are well suited to the behavior change technique of self-control, but there needs to be a planning of action and a desire to commit for the actual change to happen. This is what health providers are to tell those who suppose a device will change their lives and improve their health. Professionals are to explain that a person must realize how important caring about themselves is, and, once they do realize it and have a concrete plan, the results will occur.
References
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. (2021).The endless possibilities of wearable technology in healthcare.
UCLA Health. (2022). Are fitness trackers enough to keep you motivated and turn exercise into a habit?