Another Study Shows Buyers of Fitness Trackers to Be Gullible Rubes

Diji1 on 04/03/2016 - 09:17

We live in the golden age of the computer where much like tulips, sheep and radiation before it as long as something something computer something networks are involved somewhere people will swallow any rubbish no matter how ludicrous. After all the hype train means all the old rules such as common sense or being a gullible twit no longer apply because everything is different!

Or something, some may call me cynical ;)

Nowhere is this more apparent at the moment than in the wholly unregulated area of computers pretending to be doctors equipped with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment. In case you are unaware this is where nerds combine a computer chip with a sensor that costs about 2 bucks (don't worry, the computer part costs more) and pretend it's an adequate replacement for the doctor.

Then everyone is expected to monitor themselves like a neurotic person as though the sensors aren't wildly inaccurate and therefore pointless and somehow this makes you exercise more.

Somehow.

The latest "revelation" is that - and colour me surprised, no really (I mean not really) - apps cannot measure blood pressure.

Who'd have thunk that, seriously?

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=24921…

I note that the latest overpriced shirt $400 smart fitness clothing is claiming to measure VO2 max.

Which is even more laughable :D

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/02/hexoskin-smart-shirt-… (accuracy never tested or questioned cuz pooters in the shirt)

Mobile

Comments

  • Ryanek on 04/03/2016 - 10:05
    +9

    Sometimes, I take the stairs instead of the escalator just so I can rack up some more steps on my Fitbit. It's a device that accompanies a fitness regime nothing more.

  • 17833 on 04/03/2016 - 10:15
    +11

    I bought the kids mi band bracelets for about $12 each. The eight year old especially, who has autism and is very number orientated, instantly warmed to the device, they all try and reach their step goal, it is fun and nothing serious. It has definitely increased my sons movement level, given him a goal and got him away from the computer if only for a few minutes. Also gives him something positive to talk about when other ask what it is. It doesn't really matter if it is not 100% accurate. So I guess there are positives from them, and as fads go it has outlasted quite a few others.

  • bobbified on 04/03/2016 - 10:28
    +2

    While it's true that the sensors aren't all that accurate, some like heart beat sensors or step monitors can be used to compare "relatively".

    Most households have weight scales that people jump on every now and then to get a reading. But if you go on your own scales at home and then your friend's scales straight after, there's a pretty good chance that the readings won't be the same.
    For example, yours might show 60kgs and your friend's shows 62kgs.

    But if you drink a litre of water and jump on the scales again, yours will now read 61kgs and your friend's would read 63kgs.
    From that, we can approximate that the water weighs 1kg.

    So for it to be useful sense, the same scales should be used to do the measurements.

    Something like a heart beat monitor on your phone would work in the same way….

    To be honest though, I've tried getting a reading from the sensor on my phone and then using my hand and my watch to compare and I find the reading from my phone to be quite accurate.

    If for some reason I did a measurement on my phone one day and the number has varied greatly, I'd still verify with a manual check and perhaps get myself to the hospital straightaway.

    So I wouldn't exactly say their useless.. I'd be more inclined to use the words "limited use" to describe them..

    Blood pressure/Oxygen monitors, I'm not sure about because I've never used one before other than the proper machines at the doctor's and hospital - so I can't comment on those.

  • the-mal on 04/03/2016 - 10:30
    +3

    This has nothing to do with Fitness Trackers. It's a study on the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of the Instant Blood Pressure smartphone app.

    Activity Trackers don't pretend to be doctors, they aim to relatively accurately measure your activity level. And for many (myself included) being conscious of your day-to-day activity levels helps remind you to get moving and moves you towards changing habits.

    My daily steps have more than doubled since I started wearing an activity tracker a few years ago. It's made me conscious of it. Not sure how that makes me a gullible rube.

  • holdenmg on 04/03/2016 - 10:46

    Never mind that, given that "Rubes" are Country Bumpkins, what kind of Market Research was done into whether this was even a viable niche market? lol

  • pointless martyr on 04/03/2016 - 13:00
    +5

    Thanks for reminding me that "rubes" is a word

    Ill be sure to use it more often

  • frostman on 04/03/2016 - 14:17
    -1

    Companies are catering to the mass idiots out there.

    e.g: If 4,000 idiots line up in the cold 4 weeks ahead of an Apple launch, then Apple continue to creep up the prices of their phones from (the initial iPhone 3) $700 to the reported iPhone 7 ($1,700)

    There are a large number of zombies that are so health-conscious, they need an app to calculate KiloJoules, Calories, Carbs, Protein everyday. Other Zombies want to measure their heart rate.

    Eat anything (in moderation), and exercise daily (walk for 30-60mins) and you don't need anything else

    • rustafaria on 04/03/2016 - 14:42
      +1

      Consumers buying products = Idiot and Zombies?

      A company sells a product, consumers buy the product and (for a variety of reasons) are generally happy with their purchase. Literally nothing at all to see here.

      There are a large number of zombies that are so health-conscious, they need an app to calculate KiloJoules, Calories, Carbs, Protein everyday.

      Now being health-conscious is upsetting you as well?

      What concern is it of yours anyway? Both you and OP come off as a couple of very bitter and twisted old men. Just yell "GET OFF MY LAWN!" and be done with it, ffs.

      Their are so many things in this world to get upset about, and you pick this?

  • rustafaria on 04/03/2016 - 14:33
    +1

    some may call me cynical

    I would definitely call you something, but it would be less polite than "cynical". Your post really makes no sense and you seem to be wildly pointing the finger at all sorts of unrelated things and conflating a variety of issues.

    What did you hope to achieve here? A whole heap of replies where people thanked you for telling them how stupid and ignorant they all are compared to you?

    Your title refers to activity trackers and you then go on to talk about smartphone apps that claim to measure blood pressure.

    The biggest health issue i currently face is the cancer i just got from reading this nonsense.

  • stevensx on 04/03/2016 - 17:41

    Have to say a friend of mine is doing a doctor's degree. They analysed a case study where a man kept returning to the doctor's office complaining of problems and the veterans couldn't find anything.

    A young doctor asked if the man always wore his fitbit HR; he replied with 'yes'.

    They went onto the app and noticed that the man's heart rate would increase at random intervals to a point so high that it was close to exploding.
    Unless the man was at the doctor's at the very time of this occurring no one would have ever caught it.

    The technology is simplistic now, but give it a decade or two and these will be used by doctors globally. Heck - my bloody electric toothbrush keeps reminding me to go to the dentist for a check up and can send data to my dentist about my brushing habits. Welcome to the health future….They very annoying health future - but hey - anything that makes people even slightly fitter is a plus in my book.

  • Davo1111 on 04/03/2016 - 17:43

    Bit of a stretch in your argument. A couple of crappy ideas doesn't mean an entire industry is crap.

    If I sat down with a tape measure, a V02 meter (ventilation/c02/o2) and a stop watch, i bet I could find the relationship between chest dimension and vo2.

    Some fitness trackers are actually very good - particularly if you understands their limitations. This comes from someone who is quite outspoken against much of the BS "sport scientists" produce

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