Laranjo and Dr. Heleno say their analysis didn’t single out any one device or app as the most effective at keeping users active. But the analysis did suggest that the trackers and apps were most effective at prompting people to exercise more when they had features that let users personalize their goals and exercise plans and that provided support and encouragement via text messages.
Personalization can help users set easy-to-reach goals and then increase activity with more ambitious goals in the future, Laranjo says. Many people get frustrated and give up if the benchmark is too high (like 10,000 steps per day), when in fact just a small increase from someone’s average can be very beneficial, she explains. “Starting low and progressing slowly, while continuously monitoring the progress and receiving feedback from the app or tracker, can lead to significant changes in overall physical activity throughout time.”