Fitness trackers deliver results, raise doubts

It’s a question that some are seeing as the biggest challenge for the new industry. “There’s Probably a Fitness Tracker Abandoned in a Junk Drawer Near You,” read a recent headline in Slate. The article quoted a study by Endeavor Partners, the firm that found one in 10 Americans own a fitness tracker, which raised warning flags about the high numbers of people abandoning the technology.

Dan Ledger, principal at Endeavor Partners, said his group’s study found that more than half of the U.S. consumers who own an activity tracker have stopped using it. And a third of consumers who own one stopped using it within six months of receiving it.

Ledger said traditional product designers don’t necessarily know much about behavioral psychology and what motivates people to change habits. He said that for younger adults, trackers are as much s fashion device as a helpful tool, and the appeal can wear off.

But for older Americans who are concerned about their fitness and may need that extra motivation, the trackers can be useful. “For some, they help change habits in a positive way,” he said. “As you peel back the onion, you find that these products are designed for a smaller subset of the population than those going out and buying them. If you’re a serious runner, you’re probably going to get much less out of these devices than a 65-year-old who’s seeking a more active lifestyle.”

Even with the reality that some abandon the devices, Ledger said there is still a lot of potential for fitness trackers and wearable technology as a whole. “The industry is getting wiser on how to make these things more useful,” he said. “The companies that are doing well … are targeting people who really are trying to make the first steps in a healthier lifestyle.”

Equal opportunity fitness

Megan Spurling is the wellness program manager at Sharp HealthCare, a San Diego-based health system with 16,000 employees working at four hospitals and more than 20 clinical locations. She said the FitBit trackers have been a great success with the company’s approach to employee wellness, in part because they are so flexible.

“We have a 24-hour workforce, we’re very diverse, we have locations across San Diego, and we needed a way to engage people no matter how they like to pursue physical activity,” she said. “Rather than offer a gym membership, we think this technology is helpful in creating a way to get people engaged in their fitness wherever they are.”

Sharp HealthCare’s wellness program uses the trackers in employee challenges, which can be system-wide or limited to specific divisions or locations.

Spurling said that of the 9,000 employees who were given a FitBit tracker as a reward for completing a wellness assessment, more than 5,000 are currently using the devices — and the number is growing.

According to Spurling, employees are becoming more enthusiastic about using trackers over time, not less. She attributes the company’s commitment to ongoing wellness education as one reason for the program’s success.

Spurling said her company addresses privacy concerns by employing a system that tracks only step counts — not employee names — by division and location. Employees can use an online dashboard to access much more detailed analytics, but what they release through channels such as social media is up to them.

As far as the issue of cost, Spurling and McDonough agreed that employees respond well to programs that give the trackers as a reward for completing a wellness task such as a health assessment.  

McDonough said employers that have the most success with fitness trackers are those who are transparent with their approach and supportive of employees as they use the technology.

“A device needs to be integrated into the solutions the employer is providing, or on the consumer side, become part of a lifestyle,” she said. “The ecosystem is what’s really important.”