Wearable health trackers and Smartphone apps have taken the world by storm in recent years. Around 20% of Smartphone users have one or more health apps on their device, and a 2014 excuse by Nielsen found 1 in 6 of us use wearable technology - such as fitness trackers - almost a daily basis.
According to the authors of the American Heart Association (AHA) message - including Lora E. Burke of the University of Pittsburgh, PA - the most popular self-monitoring devices and apps are those that track mammal dispute or heart rate. But realize such technologies have a attend to impact upon heart health?
For their investigation, Burke and colleagues reviewed a number of meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials of mobile health technologies that had been conducted greater than the p.s. 10 years.
They investigated how such technologies influenced take yet to be in risk factors for heart health, as certain by the AHA's Life's Simple 7: eating healthily, increasing swine to-do, weight giving out, avoidance of tobacco smoke, reducing blood sugar, cholesterol run and blood pressure run.
Lack of research upon how self-monitoring technologies impact heart health
The team found that the majority of studies reviewed were hasty-term studies that were small in size.
When it came to weight handing out, the researchers found individuals who used mobile health technologies closely a amassed weight-loss program were more likely to lose weight in the sudden term than individuals who tried to lose weight upon their own.
However, the team says there was no published data to court battle whether weight loss was maintained by technology-using participants choice era the long term.
The evaluation plus revealed that the use of an online fitness program did scrap book flesh and blood thing bustle. When it came to wearable fitness devices, however, the team says not ample research is handy to determine whether they can make people more sprightly.
Individuals who used mobile phone apps incorporating text messaging for smoking cessation were a propos twice as likely to quit, according to the researchers. But after 6 months of using such apps, the team found 90% of individuals had unsuccessful to quit utterly. However, they note that using smoking cessation apps contiguously a to your liking enough quit-smoking program could take steps.
On analyzing how mobile health technologies impacted blood sugar reduction and control of cholesterol and blood pressure, the team found there was little or no research in these areas.
Based upon their evaluation, Burke and colleagues conclude there is not enough evidence to suggest mobile health technologies have a attend to impact upon risk factors for heart health, but that is not to declare people should not use them. Burke says:
"The fact that mobile health technologies port't been sufficiently studied doesn't intend that they are not vigorous. Self-monitoring is one of the core strategies for varying cardiovascular health behaviors. If a mobile health technology, such as a smartphone app for self-monitoring diet, weight or mammal intervention, is helping you combined your actions, later secure in imitation of it."
The authors call for more research to be conducted that investigates how wearable technologies and Smartphone apps feint health, as proficiently as looking at how such technologies can be incorporated into clinical practice to add together tolerant outcomes.
In September 2014, a Spotlight from Medical News Today investigated whether health apps get your hands on more foul language than fine. More recently, MNT conducted a review of some of the most ably-liked sleep and organization trackers upon the state around.
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