Researchers at Iowa State University tested eight different activity monitors to see just how accurate each model really is. They had 30 men and 30 women wear all the devices — as well as a portable metabolic analyzer as the comparison — during a 69-minute activity session, which included everything from writing at a computer to running to playing Wii tennis.
The result? Most trackers were reasonably accurate, their calories-burned estimates landing within 10 to 15 percent of the actual number. But the study did reveal that some models are more accurate than others. Choosing a tracker shouldn’t be about which one looks the coolest; function is what matters.
Read more on OZY.com: Don't Trust Your Fitbit | Acumen | OZY