Wearable technology for management of NCDs

Wearable devices are devices that are equipped with sensors and can be worn on the body such as watches, bracelets, hearing aids, etc. It has capabilities to detect physiological measures such as heart rate, temperature, steps walked calories burnt, etc. Lately, wearable devices are being adopted globally & India is ranked as third in the wearable devices market and is expected to expand rapidly. (1)

Literature indicates wearable devices can improve physical activities in adults with overweight or respiratory disease, and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in adults having diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (2). The use of smartwatches has been proven to benefit psychological wellness amongst cognitive disorders. (3)

This indicates that wearable devices have the potential to fill significant research gaps in healthcare in developing countries such as India. However, there is a need for more evidence on factors of the adoption of technology and its contribution at various levels in the healthcare system.  

1. Patil V, Singhal DK, Naik N, Hameed BMZ, Shah MJ, Ibrahim S, et al. Factors Affecting the Usage of Wearable Device Technology for Healthcare among Indian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine [Internet]. 2022 Nov 28;11(23):7019. Available from: //www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/23/7019/pdf
2. Franssen WMA, Franssen GHLM, Spaas J, Solmi F, Eijnde BO. Can consumer wearable activity tracker-based interventions improve physical activity and cardiometabolic health in patients with chronic diseases? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2020 May 11;17(1).
3. Yen HY. Smart wearable devices as a psychological intervention for healthy lifestyle and quality of life: a randomized controlled trial. Quality of Life Research. 2020 Oct 26;

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The selection of appropriate activity trackers in NCD populations should be able to offer patients and healthcare professionals with a reading of the primary outcomes of interest that should be tracked for health objectives without excluding any individual. Wearable activity trackers have great promise for improving people's lifestyle patterns of behavior, yet researchers and consumers encounter several challenges while utilizing them. Initially, extended usage of activity trackers may lead to behavioral issues in research participants, such as health status monitoring-induced anxiety.Second, breakage or loss of the device, as well as technical issues with the supporting equipment or software, were identified as additional barriers. Another significant barrier is the reading of the findings itself; knowing the results might be an incentive for wearable device users, interpreting the data is generally unclear (1).

Wearable technologies have the potential to be a useful technique of monitoring physical activity for the prevention, treatment, and improvement of the health and quality of life of individuals with NCDs. These devices are primarily used to monitor and intervene in physical activity rather than other daily activities (eg., sleep and diet) or physiological indicators (2).

References:

1. Maher C., Ryan J., Ambrosi C., Edney S. Users’ experiences of wearable activity trackers: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2017;17:880. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4888-1. 

2. Natalucci, V., Federica Marmondi, Biraghi, M., & Bonato, M. (2023). The Effectiveness of Wearable Devices in Non-Communicable Diseases to Manage Physical Activity and Nutrition: Where We Are? Nutrients, 15(4), 913–913. //doi.org/10.3390/nu15040913.

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Wearable technology has become more and more common across both clinical and non-clinical populations as a tool for managing health-related factors, tracking daily physical activity and diet, and prescribing exercises. In this sense, smart devices help individuals lead better lives and also supply a steady supply of physiological and metabolic data that can be used to treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs). While the advantages of diet and exercise-based therapies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are well acknowledged, there is ongoing debate regarding wearable technology's ability to encourage good habits in clinical settings. Researchers showed interest in how wearables are currently being used in NCDs in this narrative review, emphasizing how they can be used to prescribe and track daily physical activity and food habits in people who have chronic illnesses. it can be comprehended that the effectiveness of using wearable technology was not expressly addressed in many of the studies, and few take into account nutrition and physical activity tracking for NCDs. Nonetheless, there is proof that these gadgets have enhanced factors related to metabolism and psychology as well as physical activity, fitness, and body composition. As a result, the authors think that wearable technology will likely improve public health and serve as a valuable tool for creating preventative strategies for both daily living and clinical settings that promote the best possible patient care.

Reference: 

Natalucci, V., Federica Marmondi, Biraghi, M., & Bonato, M. (2023). The Effectiveness of Wearable Devices in Non-Communicable Diseases to Manage Physical Activity and Nutrition: Where We Are? Nutrients, 15(4), 913–913. //doi.org/10.3390/nu15040913

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