Purpose: Wearable devices for tracking health and fitness related activities are thought to motivate individuals to participate in regular exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of these wearable fitness tracking devices in a college setting.
Methods: Students, faculty, administration, and staff of Linfield College were asked to complete a survey that examined the types of fitness tracking devices owned, frequency of use, and application of the device.
Results: Of 217 participants surveyed (67 males, 150 females), 29.49% own a fitness tracker, with the most common types being a phone app (46.2% of faculty, staff, and administration) and a specific wearable wrist device (44.7% of students). Step count tracking was the most popularly used feature among all participants (86.8% of students and 96.2% of faculty, staff, and administration). 84% of all participants reported that the device encouraged their participation in physical activity. For those not owning a device (70.51% of participants), lack of interest was the most prevalent reason reported against purchasing a device, followed by expense.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that a small percentage of individuals across a college community own fitness tracking devices, despite the fact that they are perceived to encourage physical activity
