Fitness trackers are increasingly ubiquitous, with many of us using them to monitor our health and wellbeing in various ways.  They can provide invaluable insights into our health and fitness, and help us to lead a healthier lifestyle, but new research from the University of Copenhagen also finds that they can lead to considerable anxiety among users.

The researchers tracked heart patients who were using Fitbit-style fitness watches to monitor their sleep, physical activity and heart rates.  The analysis revealed that while the users learned significantly more about their illness, and were indeed more inclined to exercise during the six month period they wore the watches, it also saw a rise in anxiety.

“Our study shows that, overall, self-measurements are more problematic than beneficial when it comes to the patient experience,” the researchers say. “Patients begin to use the information from their Fitbits just as they would use a doctor. However, they don’t get help interpreting their watch data. This makes them unnecessarily anxious, or they may learn something that is far from reality.”

Information is (generally) good

The research suggests that the increased information available to users is generally good, and most reported feeling more aware of and in tune with their overall health.  It’s not always easy for users to make reliable connections between the data they get and their condition, however, with some users making false connections about things such as a lack of sleep and their heart condition.

“Conversely, the Fitbit watch can be calming, if data shows that you are sleeping well and have a low heart rate,” the researchers explain. “The problem is that you cannot use data directly related to heart disease because the watch is designed for sports and wellness, as opposed to managing disease.”

This duality was also evident in terms of exercise, with users feeling on one hand that they were more motivated to exercise, but also reporting a sense of guilt when the recommended targets were not being met.  The researchers also highlight that the recommended activity levels were not designed with heart patients in mind, so there is also a risk of inappropriate activity levels being aimed for.

Interpreting the data

The researchers suggest that their findings highlight the significant potential for fitness tracking devices to help people with the management of their conditions, but urge the healthcare profession to consider providing greater assistance to help users interpret the information they’re getting from their device accurately.

“We believe it is time to think in terms of ‘collaborative care’, where both patient and clinicians benefit from the new health data and are thereby able to work together to manage and treat chronic diseases,” they say. “This requires that we create a digital platform in which clinicians and patients can jointly interpret data from, for example, fitness watches, without creating unnecessary additional work for clinicians.”

We’re obviously in a relatively early stage of using these devices for wider health-related purposes, so there will inevitably be a period of adaptation, among both users and the healthcare profession.  The study provides a nice insight into the kind of work that needs to be done.