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How accurate are Fitbit?


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As per the title really. Can I trust the data it's giving me or is it glorified tamagotchi?

 

Do you mean just the steps? It's reasonably accurate. Lots of research done on them and they are within 5% if not worn on your dominant wrist. For a while I used a FitBit alongside a phone with a pedometer and they were both v similar, it's of course possible both are talking rubbish!

 

For things like calorie burn and so on then it's absolute drivel in the most part, but a useful comparison if you ignore the exact numbers and look for trend. Everyone burns calories completely differently and the trackers can be waaaaaaaaaaaay off, up to 40% over or under reading. Calorie burn is almost impossible to track accurately even in a lab.

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The heart rate monitor isn't always fully accurate on the first read, but after it's been on your wrist for a few minutes it's pretty decent.

 

I think the only way to check this is against the data produced by a conventional heart monitor (i.e. of the sort you attach to your upper arm). I have two conventional heart monitors and both give similar results. However, I also have a wrist monitor, which is wildly inaccurate when measured against the other two. I don't trust wrist monitors.

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I've compared mine to a hospital HR monitor and the resting rate was surprisingly accurate (within 2-3 bpm). And I have compared it during exercise to a Polar chest based HR strap, it's wildly inaccurate on that count (up to 30 bpm).

 

Depending on what you want it for, they are reasonably good activity trackers, but they are pretty poor sports watches.

 

This website has some good reviews of all sorts of activity/sports watches and gadgets.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-reviews/fitbit-product-reviews

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Depends which one and what you use it for. You also need to set it up correctly and know its limitations. the MFP usergorup or in fact and user group will have enough geeks to help you understand how to use it. Its ok as a pedometer.

 

I understand how to "use" it. The pedometer seems reasonable accurate, I've no idea on the heart rate but I'm not clutching my chest when I excercise so I presume that's ok. My main bugbear is the sleep bit - mine looks like a bar code.

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