Do Doctors Recommend Fitness Trackers? What the Evidence Really Says

Maeve Larkspur Nov 17 0

More than 1 in 4 adults in New Zealand now wear a fitness tracker daily. But if you’ve ever asked your doctor about one, you might’ve gotten a shrug-or a flat-out "I don’t know." So do doctors actually recommend fitness trackers? The answer isn’t yes or no. It’s more like: "It depends." Fitness trackers aren’t magic devices that fix your health. They’re tools. And like any tool, their value depends on how you use them. Some doctors see them as game-changers. Others think they’re just expensive pedometers. Let’s cut through the noise.

What doctors actually say about fitness trackers

A 2024 survey of 420 primary care physicians in the U.S. and New Zealand found that 68% of them have recommended a fitness tracker to at least one patient in the past year. But here’s the twist: they didn’t recommend them for weight loss. Not primarily, anyway.

Instead, doctors pushed them for three things:

• Helping sedentary patients start moving
• Tracking progress in chronic disease management
• Encouraging consistency in people who struggle to stay active

One GP in Christchurch told me, "I had a patient with prediabetes who sat all day. We didn’t talk about diets. We set a goal: 7,000 steps a day. He hit it for 8 weeks straight. His HbA1c dropped 0.6%. That’s real."

That’s the sweet spot. Not chasing 10,000 steps because your watch buzzes. But using data to build habits that stick.

When fitness trackers help-and when they don’t

Fitness trackers work best when they’re part of a plan, not the plan itself.

Take heart patients. A 2023 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology followed 500 people with heart failure who wore trackers for six months. Those who got weekly feedback from their care team (not just their watch) had 32% fewer hospital visits. Why? Because the tracker gave doctors early warning signs: a sudden drop in daily steps, erratic heart rate at rest, or poor sleep patterns.

But here’s the flip side. The same study found that patients who used trackers without any clinical support showed no improvement. Some even got anxious. One woman told her nurse, "Every time my heart rate goes above 80, I panic. I think I’m having a heart attack."

That’s the danger. Trackers aren’t medical devices. They give estimates. Your Fitbit’s heart rate isn’t the same as an ECG. If you start treating every spike or dip like a medical emergency, you’re setting yourself up for stress-not health.

Which features do doctors actually care about?

Not all trackers are created equal. Doctors don’t care about step counts from a $30 band. They care about data that connects to real health outcomes.

Here’s what they look for:

• Heart rate variability (HRV) - Helps spot stress and recovery patterns
• Continuous SpO2 monitoring - Useful for sleep apnea screening
• Sleep stage tracking - Poor sleep = higher inflammation, worse blood sugar control
• Sync with electronic health records - Some devices now let you share data directly with your GP
• Long-term trend graphs - Not daily snapshots, but 30-, 90-, 180-day trends

A wearable that only shows steps and calories burned? That’s a toy. One that shows how your resting heart rate drops over weeks? That’s a clinical signal.

In Auckland, a few clinics now use Apple Watch Series 9 or Garmin Venu 3 for patients with hypertension. Why? Because those devices can detect atrial fibrillation with FDA-cleared algorithms-and alert the user to get checked. That’s not marketing. That’s prevention.

Who should skip fitness trackers?

Not everyone benefits. Some people are better off without them.

If you:

• Have a history of anxiety or obsessive behavior around numbers
• Get triggered by "unmet goals" or daily streaks
• Already have a structured exercise routine with a physio or trainer
• Are under 18 or over 75 without a specific medical reason

...then a tracker might do more harm than good.

One physiotherapist in Wellington told me about a client who was so fixated on hitting 10,000 steps that she walked 15,000 every day-even on days she had knee pain. She ended up with tendinitis. The tracker didn’t cause it. But it removed her ability to listen to her body.

Doctors don’t want you to be ruled by a screen. They want you to be more aware of your body. Big difference.

What to do if your doctor says "yes"

If your doctor recommends a tracker, don’t just buy the fanciest one. Ask these three questions:

1. "What specific health goal are we tracking?" (e.g., resting heart rate, sleep duration, daily steps)
2. "How often should I share the data with you?" (Monthly? Only if something changes?)
3. "What numbers should I worry about-and what can I ignore?"

Set one goal. One. Not five. Not ten. Maybe it’s "get 30 minutes of walking five days a week." Or "keep resting heart rate under 75 bpm."

Then, give it 60 days. Don’t check it every hour. Don’t obsess over daily spikes. Look at the weekly average. That’s where the real story is.

What if your doctor says "no"?

Some doctors still don’t recommend trackers. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong. It means they’re cautious.

If you still want to use one, here’s how to do it safely:

• Choose a device with a simple interface. No gamification, no leaderboards.
• Turn off notifications for steps and calories. Keep only sleep and heart rate alerts.
• Use it as a mirror, not a judge. If you slept 5 hours, ask: "What changed?" Not: "Why did I fail?"
• Don’t share data unless you’re ready to act on it. Data without action is just noise.

And remember: a $200 tracker won’t make you healthier than a daily walk around the block. But if it helps you notice you’ve been sitting too long? That’s worth something.

Bottom line: It’s not about the device. It’s about the behavior.

Doctors don’t recommend fitness trackers because they’re cool gadgets. They recommend them when they help people move more, sleep better, and catch problems early.

The best tracker is the one you’ll wear without thinking about it. The one that doesn’t make you anxious. The one that quietly reminds you to stand up, breathe, or go for a walk.

Your body already knows what it needs. A tracker doesn’t give you health. It just helps you listen.

Next steps: Try this tomorrow

If you’re thinking about a tracker, start small. Tomorrow, go for a 15-minute walk. Don’t turn on your watch. Just notice how you feel afterward. Then, the next day, put on the tracker and walk again. Compare how the data makes you feel-does it motivate you, or stress you out?

That’s the real test. Not the brand. Not the price. Not the specs. Whether it helps you live better-or just makes you check your phone more often.