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Study calorie counting by fitness tracker is very inaccurate
Many people today use so-called fitness trackers. These devices are reliable in measuring the heart rate. Researchers have now found that measuring calories burned by fitness trackers is extremely inaccurate.
Researchers at Stanford University found in their research that many fitness trackers are very inaccurate in measuring calories burned. So people should be careful who build up their food composition based on such data. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Journal of Personalized Medicine".
More and more people use sports so-called fitness trackers. However, a recent study found that such devices are very inaccurate in measuring calories burned. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com) Reliable measurement of heart rate
For their study, the experts examined the accuracy of seven wrist devices. For this 60 subjects were asked to do exercises with the devices, which consisted of jogging and cycling. The researchers found that six of the seven fitness machines were good at measuring heart rate. The error rate was less than five percent.
Error rate of over 20 percent when measuring the applied energy
However, when it came to measuring the energy applied during exercise, the devices had bigger problems. Only five of the tested devices were able to perform this function. None of these devices had an error rate below 20 percent, some were even more inaccurate, say the scientists. The study therefore recommended that companies should share the data as their devices perform the measurements.
Data on energy consumption are rather rough estimates
The public should be aware of the strengths and limitations of the used fitness equipment on the wrist, explains the author. Euan Ashley of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University. Users should be aware that the information on energy consumption is rough estimates.
False values can lead to nutritional problems
For example, if people are exercising and think that they have burned 400 calories, for example, they could expect to eat an extra 400 calories in their diet, the expert adds.
Heart rate monitoring technology has evolved rapidly
Heart rate monitoring technology has evolved rapidly over the past five or six years. However, the measurement of the energy expenditure is still problematic. It may be that the manufacturing companies do not use heart rate in their measurements, the medical profession speculates. There is also a very big difference in person-to-person burnt calories.
Results vary from person to person
For example, 10,000 steps in a person burn about 400 kilocalories, in other people, the same route can lead to a reduction of 800 kilocalories, explain the doctors. The results depend on the size and weight of the person. Writing the number of calories burned is a sensitive issue, which relates to many different factors such as height, weight, percentage of body fat and heart rate, the authors add.
Fault finding is extremely difficult
The manufacturers of fitness trackers do not publish the algorithms used to calculate the calories burned. Therefore, it is almost impossible to detect the exact source of the error at this stage, explain the scientists.
The use of fitness trackers motivates many people to exercise more
Fitness trackers can have a very positive effect on people's activity. Therefore, 100 percent accuracy seems desirable but not necessarily important, as long as the devices motivate people to exercise more, say the authors of the study. However, wearing fitness trackers does not always lead to a positive outcome when it comes to the likelihood of losing weight. (As)