Wearable technology can help people with type 2 diabetes stick to physical activity goals

The most difficult element of any exercise regime is maintaining it. About half of people who begin an exercise programme give up within six months.

However, our recent research showed that wearables, including smartwatches, do more than encourage people to begin exercising: users were seven times more likely to remain active after six months than people who did not use a smartwatch.

Our research examined adults recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Physical activity is central to managing type 2 diabetes because it can regulate blood sugar, promote cardiovascular health and enhance quality of life.

Nevertheless, roughly 90% of people with type 2 diabetes do not achieve the recommended weekly amount of physical activity. Frequently reported obstacles are limited motivation, uncertainty about which activities are safe and insufficient personalised support.

We tested a new way of addressing these obstacles through wearable technology and remote coaching. People who completed a remote coaching programme supported by a smartwatch were 10 times more likely to begin an exercise regime than those receiving remote coaching by itself.

The study included 125 UK and Canadian adults, aged 40 to 75, who had recently received a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Every participant worked with an exercise specialist to jointly create an individual six-month physical activity plan.

The plans aimed to progressively raise both moderate-to-vigorous exercise, targeting 150 minutes a week, and everyday lifestyle activity. Participants received support remotely by telephone or video call.

Half the group was randomly selected to use wearable technology alongside their tailored activity plan. Their smartwatch included movement and heart-rate sensors, an app for monitoring activity, and individualised text messages informed by recent progress. Participants could also contact their coach, obtain real-time feedback and amend their activity plans as needed.

The findings were notable. Against the control group, smartwatch recipients were 10 times more likely to begin exercising regularly, seven times more likely to be active at six months, and three times more likely to remain active after one year – including after the support had finished.

By the programme's end, more than 50% of the smartwatch group had reached recommended activity levels. Just 17% of the control group had done so.

Participants' feedback indicated that adaptable plans, tailored messages and data from the smartwatch were important sources of motivation. Although some people initially experienced difficulties with the technology, most adjusted rapidly.

The results add to mounting evidence that wearable technology can support people to become – and remain – more physically active. Although our study concentrated on people with type 2 diabetes, comparable advantages have been found among the wider population.

For instance, a trial involving inactive adults aged 45-75 found that participants given pedometers and walking guidance added approximately 660 daily steps after 12 weeks compared with a control group. Pedometer users also remained more active three years later.

Wearable technology has developed considerably since then. Today's smartwatches measure a broader selection of metrics than steps alone, including heart rate and activity intensity.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis covering more than 160 randomised controlled trials concluded that fitness trackers and related devices increased physical activity by an average of roughly 1,800 steps a day. Crucially, the most durable gains were seen when wearables were combined with personalised feedback or behavioural support.

Collectively, this research indicates that wearables may be effective tools for lasting behaviour change and could help us adhere more successfully to fitness goals.

Wearable fitness trackers can be extremely useful – but only when they are used with purpose. Our study and other research suggest that they work best when they enable you to use established behaviour-change techniques.

Here are evidence-based ways to make the most of your device:

1. Set realistic, specific goals

Decide precisely when and how you will be active. Apps can support you in creating daily or weekly targets. Evidence suggests that turning broad intentions, such as "get fit", into smaller, tangible actions helps sustain motivation and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed.

2. Schedule activity and stick to it

Create a regular routine with reminders or calendar alerts. Regularity helps establish habits, while planned activity makes it less likely that you will miss exercise because you forgot or failed to prepare.

3. Track your progress

Keeping an eye on your activity can support motivation and accountability. Seeing that your efforts are having an effect can strengthen motivation, increase your feeling of control and reinforce accountability.

4. Use small rewards

Many devices offer functions such as badges and streaks to acknowledge progress. Marking these smaller achievements creates a sense of accomplishment, encouraging you to continue and supporting the development of long-term habits.

5. Share with others

Sharing your progress with a friend or coach can strengthen commitment. When other people know about your goals, it may raise motivation, offer encouragement and help you deal with difficulties.

6. The tracker is a tool, not the solution

A tracker will not alter behaviour by itself. Its usefulness comes from the way it helps you pursue your goals and develop habits that last.

These approaches do more than promote short-term change: they foster motivation, self-belief and routine, all of which matter for sustaining healthy habits over time.

Our findings indicate that wearable technology can have a meaningful effect when it forms part of a structured and supportive programme – particularly for people managing conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Combining wearable technology with individualised coaching and established behaviour-change methods may give you a greater likelihood of staying committed to your physical activity goals.

Matthew Cocks, Reader, Exercise Physiology, Liverpool John Moores University and Katie Hesketh, Assistant Professor in Exercise Prescription, University of Birmingham

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.