AusLeisure

A survey of West Australians has revealed that 41% of adults under the age of 55 own at least one fitness tracking device but that for a significant number, their wearable technology devices are soon discarded.

The survey, by health insurers HBF found that 41% of all adults have a wearable device such as a pedometer or wristband with 35 to 54 year olds the biggest users, followed by 18 to 34 year olds.

The most popular devices are those that count steps, particularly for women, followed by exercise tracking, heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking.

Almost 60% of users said the devices had helped them improve their health.

But while half of device owners used them every day, a quarter of owners admitted they were unused.

Commenting on the findings, HBF Executive General Manager of Health and Wellness Jennifer Solitario said 60% of people who received a device as a gift were likely to improve their health using it.

Solitario stated “having said that, daily usage of wearable devices by WA adults drops significantly from 71% to 41% after six months, and continues to diminish as time goes on.

“After two years, only 12% use it daily, and four in 10 don’t use it at all.”

Solitario suggested that wearable fitness devices only tended to work if they were used as part of an overall health plan.

Key findings from the HBF survey of over 500 West Australians about wearable fitness devices were:

• Of those West Australian adults who have previously received a wearable device as a gift, 60% have used it to help them achieve a health goal.
• 41% of Western Australian adults own a wearable device.
• 35-54 year olds are most likely to own one (1 in 2 owns one - 50%), followed by 18-34 year olds (45% of them own one).
• Those aged over 55 are significantly less likely to own one (27% of them own one) than 18-34 year olds or 35-54 year olds.
• 50% of Western Australian adults who own a wearable device use it daily.
• A quarter of WA adults who own one (26%) don't currently use their wearable device.
• Daily usage of wearable devices by WA adults drops significantly (71% to 41%) after six months, and continues to diminish as time goes on. After two years, only 12% use it daily, and 4 in 10 don’t use it at all.
• The most popular wearable device feature for WA adults is step counting at 65% (especially for women 73% vs 57%), followed by exercise tracking, heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking.
• More than half (59%) of wearable owners have used their device to help them achieve a health goal. Of those, 73% rated their wearable device as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ helpful in achieving any of their health goals.

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