Examining The Use Of Wearable Activity Monitors And Goal Setting Toward A Step Goal

Abstract

PURPOSE: Wearable activity monitors (wearables) are increasingly used in the US and can help encourage physical activity participation through step counts. Understanding whether wearable users track daily step counts and how they set step goals can help ensure wearables are designed and used to maximize their public health impact. This study examined the proportion of US adults who use wearables, and among users whether wearables are used to track daily step counts and how they determine their daily step count goals. METHODS: Data from a nationwide sample of US adults (SummerStyles, 2020) were analyzed (N = 3661). Participants were asked if they have ever used a wearable and were categorized as a current, past, or never user. Current users were asked if they use their wearable to track their daily step count. Those who responded yes were asked if they determine their daily step goal by using the default goal, a personal goal, no goal, or that they gradually increase their step goal. Prevalence of wearable users, use of wearable to track daily step counts, and how users determine daily step count goals were calculated overall and by demographic characteristics. Pairwise t tests were used to identify significant differences between subgroups (p < .05). RESULTS: Overall, 31.4% of US adults currently use a wearable activity monitor. Among current users (n = 1219), 88.3% reported using their device to track their daily step count with a greater prevalence among females (91.2%) compared to males (84.6%) and among Hispanics (95.2%) compared to Whites (87.1%). Current wearable users reported determining their step count goal by using the default goal (41.7%), their own personal goal (32.9%), not having a daily goal (17.4%), and gradually increasing their daily goal (8.0%). CONCLUSION: Nearly 9 in 10 wearable users track their daily step count on their devices. Most users set step goals based on default settings or personal goals, so establishing evidence-based steps per day guidelines may help wearable users achieve levels of health enhancing physical activity.