What the ? Fitness trackers accuracy

[Minkey]

Can anyone help me with a conundrum? I was wondering how accurate fitness trackers are. I have one which measures heart rate and blood pressure. The other day I tried it out and got a reading of heart rate 55 and blood pressure reading of 137/78 is this good for a teddy bear or should I take it to the Doctor

 

[ogr1]

Teddy needs more honey.

 

[Jaws]

Can anyone help me with a conundrum? I was wondering how accurate fitness trackers are. I have one which measures heart rate and blood pressure. The other day I tried it out and got a reading of heart rate 55 and blood pressure reading of 137/78 is this good for a teddy bear or should I take it to the Doctor

Would need to know your age really Minxy, but rather than ask you to put that on here you can see for your self

To be the heart rate is down a little but the BP is excellent

https://www.guildowns.nhs.uk/bp-calculator

I ( and woman ) have to track our BP, and have done for a few years.. I average ( at rest ) rate of 61, bp 131 over 75

 

[Jaws]

Forgot to mention, I use a Fitbit for steps and heart rate, and a Boots bp checker

 

[Stevebrooke]

There was an article on Watchdog a couple of weeks ago about these. Their opinion seemed to be to take them with a pinch of salt. They're generally not very accurate and should be just used as a guide.

 

[Jaws]

There was an article on Watchdog a couple of weeks ago about these. Their opinion seemed to be to take them with a pinch of salt. They're generally not very accurate and should be just used as a guide.

I can vouch for the pulse side of them... Had a bit of a grin with the quack during my last check up.She noticed the Fitbit and asked what mt pulse was, and then confirmed it

 

[Minkey]

I can vouch for the pulse side of them... Had a bit of a grin with the quack during my last check up.She noticed the Fitbit and asked what mt pulse was, and then confirmed it

I usually measure my heart rate and BP using an device I purchased from Lloyd's chemist and my steps using an app on my phone. So I decided to purchase an tracker to combine the two, the heart rate was similar to my other device the BP came out lower according to the tracker. Not knowing how they work and in the interests of science I did a reading using the tracker on one of my teddies expecting a zero reading but was amazed at the result. Maybe it was just my tracker with it being a cheap one maybe I need to get a Fitbit, which model would be recommended

 

[Squag1]

https://bloodpressureok.com/reading/140-over-80

If you scroll down you can enter your reading and it will assess it.

 

[Squag1]

 

[Jaws]

I need to get a Fitbit, which model would be recommended

I have used a Fitbit Blaze for the past 3 1/2 years..

Two minor issues with it.

Has to be charged up after 4 or 5 days
It clocks up 'steps' when I am riding ( I think the record is 37,500 !! ) but is pretty good apart from that

 

[andyBeaker]

There was an article on Watchdog a couple of weeks ago about these. Their opinion seemed to be to take them with a pinch of salt. They're generally not very accurate and should be just used as a guide.

Surely if you take them witha pinch of salt then blood pressure will rise??

 

[andyBeaker]

I usually measure my heart rate and BP using an device I purchased from Lloyd's chemist and my steps using an app on my phone. So I decided to purchase an tracker to combine the two, the heart rate was similar to my other device the BP came out lower according to the tracker. Not knowing how they work and in the interests of science I did a reading using the tracker on one of my teddies expecting a zero reading but was amazed at the result. Maybe it was just my tracker with it being a cheap one maybe I need to get a Fitbit, which model would be recommended

If you have an iPhone anything after 5 (I think) has a step counter built in - within the 'Health' app.

 

[Lee337]

I bought a cheap tracker from tinternet a few years ago which also records blood pressure & pulse. it averages 129/73 & 69bpm which when I went for my last Diabetes check up was fairly accurate & about right for my age. I wouldn't rely on it for that but as I only bought it to count steps, which as long as I don't walk with my hands in my pocket, works as well as the app on my iPhone.

 

[Pow-Lo]

I agree with the 'pinch of salt' theory. I'm in the gym six days a week and wouldn't waste my money on a fitness tracker. I never weigh myself; I gauge my shape by my clothes (if my waist bands are getting tight, I know to back off on the chocolate); if I don't stand up and fall over at least five times a week, I know I'm not training hard enough. My BP has been 108/61 for as long as I can remember, apart from my three spells in hospital over the past three years where it tended to fall to about 80/50.

 

[Cougar377]

There's been plenty of independent studies proving that the accuracy of fitness trackers is variable and often unpredictable. It's not unusual to find most are at least 10% out and price doesn't guarantee anything.

 

[Minkey]

I use my Samsung phone to measure my steps and yesterday it measured 1084 steps which I would guess was correct as I was at work and stood in one place for 6 hours my tracker on my left wrist counted 3800 steps

 

[andyBeaker]

There's been plenty of independent studies proving that the accuracy of fitness trackers is variable and often unpredictable. It's not unusual to find most are at least 10% out and price doesn't guarantee anything.

The nurse at our GP said that cheapo be monitors were fine for tracking changes i.e. Ignore the reading in terms of it being accurate and use it as a means to spot changes. Makes sense.

I paid about £20 for mine and as it happens the bp and heart rate measurements were reasonably close to that used by the nurse.

I get 'white coat syndrome' when having my blood pressure checked in the surgery so it's always quite amusing. Apparently I have been clinically dead on a number of occasions!

 

[Jaws]

I agree with the 'pinch of salt' theory. I'm in the gym six days a week and wouldn't waste my money on a fitness tracker. I never weigh myself; I gauge my shape by my clothes (if my waist bands are getting tight, I know to back off on the chocolate); if I don't stand up and fall over at least five times a week, I know I'm not training hard enough. My BP has been 108/61 for as long as I can remember, apart from my three spells in hospital over the past three years where it tended to fall to about 80/50.

Jeez.. I would have to pop my clogs to get a BP reading so low !!

 

[Pow-Lo]

Jeez.. I would have to pop my clogs to get a BP reading so low !!

When I was in St. Thomas' hossie in London back in 2002 having my arse fixed, nursery took my BP and it was 80/48. I didn't see the reading til later, but she then took it manually before toddling off to "get some new dressings". She returned with the duty doctor and I saw the crash cart outside the ward. I asked what the fuss was and was calmly told to lie still and chill. I then found that my BP was through the floor and they were quite worried about me. Turns out that it's always that low in hossie for reasons that I can't explain.

 

[Quiney]

I wear a Garmin 35 (fitbit thingy).
There is always a difference beween steps in it and my phone app, understandably.
Heart rate - its an indication and has the occasional high blip during exercise, but overall its reasonably accurate.
I track my BP with a proper upper arm cuff and Omcron device the same as the cardiac unit used. It the trend thats more important rather than a single reading.
Out of interest my BP averages about 115/70 with a resting pulse of about 60, but I am on a couple of heart meds.

I originally had a cheapo fitness tracker, it was worse than useless.