Over 200 studies to date have relied on Fitbit
technology and the Fitabase data analytics platform to incorporate
activity, sleep, and heart rate data
Fitbit (NYSE:FIT), the leader in the connected health and
fitness market, and Fitabase, a research platform that collects
data from internet-connected devices, today announced that their
technologies have been used by researchers from leading research
institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern
Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and
the University of California San Diego. Over the last four years,
Fitbit and Fitabase have changed the way research is done by
helping researchers continuously and objectively measure physical
activity, engage patients in a new way, and enable just-in-time
adaptive interventions. To date, Fitabase has collected over 2
billion minutes of Fitbit data on behalf of their research
customers.
“Historically, measuring participants’ activity, sleep, and
heart rate data over significant periods of time has been
logistically difficult to collect and costly to measure,” said
Aaron Coleman, CEO of Fitabase. “Fitbit’s consumer-friendly
technology provides our customers with an accurate, meaningful way
to capture 24/7, real-time data so they can design innovative study
protocols in ways not possible before.”
Fitbit and Fitabase Are Used to Continuously, Objectively
Measure Physical Activity
Researchers often rely on self-reported data, which are subject
to recall bias and other measurement error – especially as related
to physical activity and sleep. While data from the National Health
and Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that 62 percent of Americans
reported meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,
objective accelerometer data showed that less than 10 percent of
Americans actually met the guidelines.1 Fitbit can help close that
gap. A recent validation study that used the Fitabase platform was
published in the International Journal of Cardiology and concluded
that Fitbit trackers may be “an accurate, reliable, and efficient
tool for physicians to track the adoption/maintenance of physical
activity programs and support their patient’s attempt at an active
lifestyle.”2
This is why investigators from Northwestern Medicine and the
University of California San Francisco collaborated with Fitbit and
Fitabase to conduct a joint study on minimally invasive spine
surgeries for degenerative disease and deformity, such as
correcting scoliosis. In an effort to better predict recovery over
time for patients who undergo spine surgery, the researchers are
monitoring physical activity using Fitbit trackers. During the four
weeks before surgery and for six months afterward, Fitbit devices
will capture personal data on a patient’s steps and activity
levels. If successful, physicians may be able to use a physical
activity monitoring approach to predict which patients are at risk
of hospital readmission.
With Fitbit and Fitabase, UCSF Recruits and Engages Patients
in a New Way
Many researchers struggle with study recruitment and retention,
and Fitbit may be able to improve compliance rates among research
participants. A study published in the American Journal of
Preventive Medicine showed that, in a 16-week study of 51 women,
all of the 25 participants who wore a Fitbit device reported liking
it, and subjects wore the device on 95 percent of intervention
days.3
Recognizing this opportunity, UCSF is collaborating with both
Fitbit and Fitabase to overcome this challenge as it launches a
study to test the impact of improved physical fitness on patients
awaiting liver transplantation. Clinical observations have
indicated that, for liver transplant candidates, regular physical
activity has the potential to reduce the likelihood of patient
hospitalization and may increase patients’ ability to withstand
acute events while awaiting liver transplantation. All 200
participants awaiting transplant in the study, sponsored by the
American Society of Transplantation, will be equipped with Fitbit
Alta to help them stay physically active in an exercise
program.
“My patients told me very clearly that, if they were going to
wear a device, it had to be easy to wear, easy to use, and offer
information they cared about in an accessible fashion. I have found
that providing patients with health trackers can be a motivating
factor – and sometimes the deciding factor – for deciding to
participate or not,” said Jennifer Lai, MD, a general and
transplant hepatologist at UCSF. “We are hoping that a name brand
device will encourage people to join and engage in the study.”
Fitbit and Fitabase Enable “Just-In-Time” Adaptive
Interventions (JITAI)
Traditionally, clinical research involves static protocols that
draw conclusions for specific groups of people. Dr. Eric Hekler,
assistant professor at Arizona State University and director of the
Designing Health Lab, is looking to change this model through his
research on “precision behavior change.” Hekler’s work, in
collaboration with Dr. Daniel Rivera, also at Arizona State
University, uses control system engineering strategies that
incorporate Fitbit data through the Fitabase platform to generate
personalized recommendations that adapt to participants over time
to drive behavior change. Learnings from his studies may help move
the precision medicine movement forward by creating health
interventions that are adaptive and individualized, versus static
and generalized.
“Supporting the research community is critical to our efforts as
we continue to grow as a digital health company,” said Amy
McDonough, vice president and general manager of Fitbit Group
Health, which brings together the offerings Fitbit provides to
corporate wellness partners, health management practitioners, and
health researchers. “Fitbit has always been focused on empowering
people to lead healthier, more active lives through data and
insights. Fitabase has helped make our mission a reality with
researchers by allowing them to better engage study participants,
collect more objective data, and ultimately, develop new
interventions that may positively influence patient care.”
About Fitbit, Inc. (NYSE:FIT)
Fitbit helps people lead healthier, more active lives by
empowering them with data, inspiration and guidance to reach their
goals. As the leader in the connected health and fitness
category, Fitbit designs products and experiences that
track everyday health and fitness. Fitbit’s diverse line of
award-winning products
includes Fitbit Surge™, Fitbit Blaze™, Fitbit Charge
HR™, Alta™, Fitbit
Charge™, Fitbit Flex®, Fitbit One® and Fitbit Zip® activity
trackers, as well as the Aria® Wi-Fi Smart
Scale. Fitbit products are carried in 50,000 retail
stores and in 63 countries around the globe. Fitbit Group
Health uses the power of the Fitbit activity
trackers, software, and services to deliver innovative solutions
for corporate wellness, weight management, insurance and clinical
research.
Fitbit, the Fitbit logo, Fitbit Surge, Fitbit Blaze,
Fitbit Charge HR, Alta, Fitbit Charge, Fitbit Flex, Fitbit One,
Fitbit Zip, Aria, PurePulse, SmartTrack and FitStar are trademarks,
service marks and/or registered trademarks of Fitbit
in the United States and in other countries. All other
trademarks, service marks, and product names used herein are the
property of their respective owners.
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About Fitabase
Fitabase is a comprehensive data management platform designed to
support innovative research projects using wearable and
internet-connected devices. Fitabase has supported over 200
research projects around the world. To learn more about using
Fitabase for your research needs visit www.fitabase.com.
1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21406280
2
http://www.internationaljournalofcardiology.com/article/S0167-5273(15)00276-4/abstract
3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4705008/
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Fitbit Group Health Public RelationsBrent Tippen,
415-672-8525btippen@fitbit.com
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