Fitness Trackers Persuasive Essay

With the recent upcoming fitness trackers, many experts are debating whether or not these trackers really do motivate people to be healthy and exercise. Since there is a lack of data and studies on the topic, the debate has become even more controversial. No expert can fully support their side with undisputable evidence, but just by some basic studies and their own opinions. So this leaves us with an open ended controversial debate on whether or not fitness trackers really work. Lars Bo Andersen of Sogn and Fjordane University College in Norway said, “People who are active are already motivated so they don’t need these devices.” A study was done by Eric Finkelstein at Duke NUS Medical School in Singapore (Tanner). Finkelstein and other professors tested the Fitbit tracker with four

First off, it tracks every move that you make and every hour encourages you to get up and move. The goals to reach, or even exceed, the amount of steps each day help get people off the couch and more active (McMillan). Also seeing what intensity was achieved throughout the day can help people see if they are doing enough to achieve a level where they are burning fat (McMillan). Natalie Digute Muth, MD, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise says, “Keep it simple, just moving more is a great goal.” The Fitbit also links to your phone which allows you to have a little friendly competition with fellow users (McMillan). Being able to share your progress with Facebook friends and Twitter followers can make you more accountable and encourage you to keep up the hard work. Muth says, “Social support is one of the most important things to help maintain weight loss.” Many trackers also come with apps on the phone that not only let you connect with others, but also keep track of what you eat throughout the day. With this tool, now not only is it encouraging you to be active, but also to have a healthy