Utility of Consumer Physical Activity Trackers as an Intervention Tool in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment

Consumer activity trackers have grown in popularity over the last few years. These devices are typically worn on the hip or wrist and provide the user with information about physical activity measures such as steps taken, energy expenditure, and time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The consumer may also use the computer interface (e.g. device websites, smartphone applications) to monitor and track achievement of PA goals and compete with other users. This review will describe some of the most popular consumer devices and discuss the user feedback tools. We will also present the limited evidence available about the accuracy of these devices and highlight how they have been used in cardiovascular disease management. We conclude with some recommendations for future research, focusing on how consumer devices might be used to assess effectiveness of various cardiovascular treatments.