Smart Wearable Device Users' Behavior Is Essential for Physical Activity Improvement

Backgrounds This study aimed to explore the effect on physical activity and sedentary behavior of users of wearable devices, and understand the association between physical activity and behavior. Methods This study conducted a three-arm, randomized controlled trial for 12 weeks. Healthy adults without experience of using a wearable device were recruited and were randomly assigned to a control group with a mobile app and two experimental groups with different smart wearable devices. Data were collected through questionnaires. Results No significant effect of group, time, or group-by-time interaction among groups for physical activity, sedentary time, or sleep quality was found. Wearing duration significantly positively predicted changes in low-intensity and total physical activity. The number of times the device was checked negatively predicted a change in sedentary time. Conclusions The behavior of wearable device users is an essential factor for successfully increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary time.

Automated summary

This study found no significant effects of wearable devices on physical activity, sedentary time, or sleep quality through a 12-week randomized controlled trial. However, it did find that wearing duration positively predicted changes in physical activity, while the number of device checks negatively predicted changes in sedentary time.