Physical Activity Evaluation Using Activity Trackers for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention in Patients with Prediabetes.

BACKGROUND: Prediabetes is a reversible condition, but lifestyle-changing measures, such as increasing physical activity, should be taken. This article explores the use of Fitbit activity trackers to assess physical activity and its impact on prediabetic patient health. METHODS: Intervention study. In total, 30 volunteers (9 males and 21 females), aged 32-65 years, with impaired glucose levels and without diabetes or moving disorders, received Fitbit Inspire activity trackers and physical activity recommendations. A routine blood check was taken during the first and second visits, and body composition was analyzed. Physical activity variability in time was assessed using a Poincare plot. RESULTS: The count of steps per day and variability differed between patients and during the research period, but the change in total physical activity was not statistically significant. Significant positive correlations between changes in lipid values, body mass composition, and variability of steps count, distance, and minutes of very active physical activity were observed. CONCLUSIONS: When assessing physical activity, data doctors should evaluate not just the totals or the medians of the steps count, but also physical activity variability in time. The study shows that most changes were better linked to the physical activity variability than the total count of physical activity.

Research on physical activity variability and changes of metabolic profile in patients with prediabetes using Fitbit activity trackers data.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring physical activity with consumers wearables is one of the possibilities to control a patient's self-care and adherence to recommendations. However, clinically approved methods, software, and data analysis technologies to collect data and make it suitable for practical use for patient care are still lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the potential of patient physical activity monitoring using Fitbit physical activity trackers and find solutions for possible implementation in the health care routine. METHODS: Thirty patients with impaired fasting glycemia were randomly selected and participated for 6 months. Physical activity variability was evaluated and parameters were calculated using data from Fitbit Inspire devices. RESULTS: Changes in parameters were found and correlation between clinical data (HbA1c, lipids) and physical activity variability were assessed. Better correlation with variability than with body composition changes shows the potential to include nonlinear variability parameters analysing physical activity using mobile devices. Less expressed variability shows better relationship with control of prediabetic and lipid parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of physical activity variability is essential for patient health, and these methods used to calculate it is an effective way to analyze big data from wearable devices in future trials.