Abstract
BackgroundRecent epidemiological evidence indicates that, on average, people are sedentary for approximately 7.7 hours per day. There are deleterious effects of prolonged sedentary behavior that are separate from participation in physical activity and include increased risk of weight gain, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. Previous trials have used wearable devices to increase physical activity in studies; however, additional research is needed to fully understand how this technology can be used to reduce sitting time.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore the potential of wearable devices as an intervention tool in a larger sedentary behavior study through a general inductive and deductive analysis of focus group discussions.MethodsWe conducted four focus groups with 15 participants to discuss 7 different wearable devices with sedentary behavior capabilities. Participants recruited for the focus groups had previously participated in a pilot intervention targeting sedentary behavior over a 3-week period and were knowledgeable about the challenges of reducing sitting time. During the focus groups, participants commented on the wearability, functionality, and feedback mechanism of each device and then identified their two favorite and two least favorite devices. Finally, participants designed and described their ideal or dream wearable device. Two researchers, who have expertise analyzing qualitative data, coded and analyzed the data from the focus groups. A thematic analysis approach using Dedoose software (SocioCultural Research Consultants, LLC version 7.5.9) guided the organization of themes that reflected participants’ perspectives.ResultsAnalysis resulted in 14 codes that we grouped into themes. Three themes emerged from our data: (1) features of the device, (2) data the device collected, and (3) how data are displayed.ConclusionsCurrent wearable devices for increasing physical activity are insufficient to intervene on sitting time. This was especially evident when participants voted, as several participants reported using a “process of elimination” as opposed to choosing favorites because none of the devices were ideal for reducing sitting time. To overcome the limitations in current devices, future wearable devices designed to reduce sitting time should include the following features: waterproof, long battery life, accuracy in measuring sitting time, real time feedback on progress toward sitting reduction goals, and flexible options for prompts to take breaks from sitting.
Highlights
Sedentary behavior (SB) is defined as a range of human behaviors that result in an energy expenditure of no more than 1.5 times resting energy expenditure and are typically associated with time spent sitting, reclining, or lying down during waking hours [1,2,3]
Wearable devices provide an effective strategy for increasing physical activity (PA) by allowing for tailored goal setting and serving as reinforcement to work toward a specific goal [15]
This study explored the barriers and benefits associated with existing wearable devices to reduce sitting time using feedback directly from participants who have intimate experience trying to change this behavior
Summary
Sedentary behavior (SB) is defined as a range of human behaviors that result in an energy expenditure of no more than 1.5 times resting energy expenditure and are typically associated with time spent sitting, reclining, or lying down during waking hours [1,2,3]. There are deleterious effects of prolonged sedentary behavior that are separate from participation in physical activity and include increased risk of weight gain, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. Previous trials have used wearable devices to increase physical activity in studies; additional research is needed to fully understand how this technology can be used to reduce sitting time. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of wearable devices as an intervention tool in a larger sedentary behavior study through a general inductive and deductive analysis of focus group discussions. Conclusions: Current wearable devices for increasing physical activity are insufficient to intervene on sitting time This was especially evident when participants voted, as several participants reported using a “process of elimination” as opposed to choosing favorites because none of the devices were ideal for reducing sitting time. To overcome the limitations in current devices, future wearable devices designed to reduce sitting time should include the following features: waterproof, long battery life, accuracy in measuring sitting time, real time feedback on progress toward sitting reduction goals, and flexible options for prompts to take breaks from sitting
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