PhillyVoice: Fitness Trackers Get Users to Walk an Extra Mile Every Day, Study Shows

A recent study discovered that people walk an extra mile every day if they have an activity tracker on their phones or watches. The study compared studies that tracked exercise activity among those with and without fitness tracking apps. Of the 7,454 people in the study, researchers found that people who were keeping track of their steps were more likely to walk 1,850 more steps each day. Authors of the study suggested that doctors prescribe apps or trackers for patients who want to become more fit. Penn doctors recommend people to use smartphones because everyone is so connected to them, while wearables are easy to take off and leave behind. “Every time you take it off is an opportunity not to put it back on,” Dr. Mitesh Patel told PhillyVoice in February. “It’s not something that you’re totally dependent on for other reasons. If you leave your wearable at home, you may not be able to track your step counts – but you can still function.” Read more on PhillyVoice here.