Can a Fitness Tracker Help You Live Healthier? New Research Says It Might.

A newly published study of nearly 6,700 American adults finds that people using wearable fitness trackers are more likely to meet weekly exercise recommendations, including those experiencing elevated anxiety symptoms. The findings offer a fresh perspective on how simple technology may help us build healthier habits.

We all know that moving our bodies is good for us.

Walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, and other forms of physical activity can improve cardiovascular health, support mental well-being, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

But knowing what we should do and consistently doing it are two very different things.

What if something as simple as checking your daily step count or receiving a gentle reminder to move could help bridge that gap?

New research published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, a peer-reviewed SAGE journal, suggests that wearable health-tracking devices may be a valuable tool for helping people turn their intentions into action.

The study, "Wearable Health-Tracking Devices and Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines Among US Adults, Including Those with Elevated Anxiety Symptoms," was authored by David Goldman, Laurie Kortowich, and Dr. Matthew Nagra.

Using nationally representative data from 6,686 American adults, researchers explored whether people who use fitness trackers and smartwatches are more likely to meet recommended physical activity levels.

The results were encouraging, particularly for people who struggle to maintain regular exercise habits.

What Did the Research Find?

Researchers analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute's 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 7).

They compared adults who reported using a wearable device to monitor their health during the previous year with those who did not.

The primary question was straightforward: Were wearable users more likely to achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week?

That's the equivalent of approximately 30 minutes of brisk walking, five days a week.

The researchers also examined whether the relationship differed among people experiencing elevated anxiety symptoms.

Three findings stood out.

1. Fitness tracker users were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines.

Even after accounting for differences in age, income, education, body mass index, and general health, wearable users had approximately 59% higher odds of meeting the weekly exercise recommendation.

This doesn't mean that wearing a smartwatch automatically makes someone more active. People who are already motivated to exercise may be more likely to purchase and use fitness trackers.

However, the findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that self-monitoring, feedback, and goal-setting can support healthy behavior change.

2. The connection was also observed among people experiencing anxiety.

One of the study's most interesting findings involved adults with elevated anxiety symptoms.

People experiencing anxiety or depression often face additional barriers to physical activity, including low motivation, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining routines.

Yet the researchers found a striking difference between wearable users and non-users in the elevated-anxiety group.

• 48.2% of wearable users met the weekly physical activity recommendation.

• 28.1% of non-users met the recommendation.

That's a 20-percentage-point difference.

The researchers did not find statistically conclusive evidence that wearable devices worked better for people with elevated anxiety than for those without it. However, the positive association between wearable use and physical activity was observed in both groups.

This is important because physical activity is itself an evidence-based way to support mental health.

The findings suggest that self-monitoring technology may be worth exploring as one tool to help people overcome barriers to movement.

3. More isn't always the goal.

Interestingly, wearable users were more likely to reach the recommended minimum of 150 minutes per week, but they were not significantly more likely to achieve 300 minutes or more.

This suggests that the strongest association may be with reaching a manageable activity target rather than accumulating exceptionally high amounts of exercise.

For people who are currently inactive, that's an encouraging message.

You don't need to become a marathon runner or spend hours in the gym. Building a consistent movement habit is a meaningful place to start.

Why Might Fitness Trackers Help?

One of the biggest challenges in lifestyle change is that progress can be difficult to see.

You might eat a healthier meal today or take a walk after dinner, but the long-term health benefits of those choices aren't immediately visible.

Fitness trackers offer something different: feedback.

They make our daily behaviors measurable and give us opportunities to recognize progress.

A device might show that you've walked farther than yesterday, remind you that you've been sitting for a while, or celebrate reaching a weekly goal.

Over time, those small moments of awareness may help reinforce healthier habits.

The research points to several established behavior-change strategies that wearable technology can support:

Self-monitoring: Seeing how much you're moving creates awareness of your current habits.

Goal-setting: Having a realistic target gives you something specific to work toward.

Feedback: Tracking progress helps you recognize what is working and when you may need to adjust.

Consistency: Regular reminders can encourage movement to become part of your daily routine.

The device itself isn't the intervention. It's the behaviors that the device may help encourage.

That's an important distinction.

You Don't Need an Expensive Smartwatch to Get Started

One of the most practical messages from the research is that technology doesn't need to be complicated or costly to support healthier habits.

Many smartphones already have built-in step-counting features that can help you become more aware of your daily movement.

For people who don't own a fitness tracker, these features may offer a simple, accessible starting point.

The study did not directly test whether smartphone step counting produces the same outcomes as wearable devices. However, previous research cited by the authors suggests that smartphone-based activity tracking can also support increased movement.

If you already have a phone in your pocket, you may have everything you need to begin.

And if you prefer a notebook, paper calendar, or simple checklist, tracking your activity without technology can still help you practice goal-setting and consistency.

The goal isn't to collect more health data. It's to use the information you have to make healthier choices.

Five Ways to Put This Research Into Practice

Whether you use a smartwatch, smartphone, or handwritten activity log, here are five simple ways to start applying the principles of this research.

1. Find your starting point.

Before setting an ambitious goal, spend a few days observing your usual activity.

How much time do you spend walking or participating in other forms of exercise?

Understanding your baseline can help you choose a realistic next step.

2. Work toward 150 minutes per week.

The physical activity guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly.

That might look like:

• A 30-minute brisk walk, five days per week

• Three 50-minute cycling or swimming sessions

• A combination of walking, dancing, hiking, and other activities you enjoy

If 150 minutes feels overwhelming, begin with what you can comfortably manage and gradually build from there.

3. Set small, achievable goals.

Rather than focusing on a dramatic transformation, choose one behavior you can repeat.

Maybe that's taking a 10-minute walk after lunch, adding a short evening walk, or getting up to move more often during the workday.

Small accomplishments create opportunities for continued progress.

4. Celebrate consistency, not perfection.

A missed workout doesn't erase the progress you've made.

Look at your activity over the course of weeks rather than judging yourself by a single day.

The objective is to establish a pattern you can sustain.

5. Pay attention to how tracking makes you feel.

For some people, seeing their progress can be motivating and encouraging.

For others, constant notifications and numerical targets can create unnecessary pressure.

This is particularly important for anyone who experiences health-related anxiety.

If tracking becomes stressful, consider reducing notifications, simplifying your goals, or taking a break from the device.

Your fitness tracker should support your well-being, not become another source of stress.

What This Means for Lifestyle Medicine

At Plant Strong, we believe that good health is built through the choices we make each day.

Nourishing our bodies with whole, plant-based foods is one part of that foundation. Regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, and supportive relationships are equally important contributors to overall well-being.

But one of the greatest challenges in lifestyle medicine isn't convincing people that healthy habits matter.

It's helping people translate that knowledge into consistent action.

This study highlights a promising opportunity.

Simple tools that provide feedback and encourage achievable goals may help people engage more consistently in the behaviors that support long-term health.

For healthcare professionals, fitness tracking may offer an additional way to support patients between appointments, particularly when paired with individualized goals and ongoing encouragement.

For individuals, the message is even simpler: becoming more aware of your daily movement may be one helpful step toward making physical activity a regular part of your life.

Celebrating the Plant Strong Research Team

We're proud to celebrate this publication and the contributions of David Goldman, Laurie Kortowich, and Dr. Matthew Nagra to advancing the science of lifestyle medicine.

David Goldman, a valued member of the Plant Strong clinical research team, led the study's conceptualization, methodology, and statistical analysis. His continued research helps us better understand not only which lifestyle behaviors contribute to good health, but also how we can help more people adopt them.

Dr. Matthew Nagra brings his expertise in nutrition and evidence-based healthcare to this collaborative work, strengthening the connection between scientific research and practical recommendations for healthier living.

And we're especially pleased to see Plant Strong's own Department of Health and Innovation represented in this publication, reflecting our continued commitment to research that extends beyond nutrition alone.

Together, this work contributes to an increasingly important conversation: How can we make healthy behaviors more accessible, achievable, and sustainable for more people?

The findings also reinforce why the Plant Strong approach extends beyond what's on our plates. Real, lasting health requires practical support for the daily habits that help us thrive.

The Plant Strong Takeaway: Small Actions, Meaningful Progress

Improving your health doesn't always require a complicated program or dramatic lifestyle overhaul.

Sometimes, progress begins with something as simple as becoming more aware of how much you're moving.

A fitness tracker won't make healthy choices for you. It can't replace a nourishing diet, regular physical activity, or the motivation to care for yourself.

But it may offer a helpful reminder, a realistic goal, or a little encouragement when you need it.

And those small nudges can help turn good intentions into action.

Whether you're tracking your steps with a smartwatch, checking your phone, or simply marking completed walks on a calendar, remember that the numbers are not the ultimate goal.

The goal is a healthier, stronger, more active life.

One walk. One healthy meal. One positive choice at a time.

That's how we build lasting change.

That's how we live Plant Strong.

Read the Published Research

Goldman D, Kortowich L, Nagra M. Wearable Health-Tracking Devices and Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines Among US Adults, Including Those with Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Analysis of HINTS 7 (2024). American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Published online October 10, 2026.

Read the research in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

Research note: This was a cross-sectional observational study. Although wearable device use was associated with higher physical activity guideline adherence, the findings do not establish that wearables directly caused participants to exercise more. Physical activity and wearable use were self-reported.