Study on the clinical use of a commercial activity monitor

CONCLUSIONS: The Fitbit One activity monitors are valid and reliable devices for measuring step counts in healthy young adults. The distance output of the monitors is inaccurate and should be noted with caution.

Granted the study is small, but the results aren’t uplifting. Still, in healthy adults the Fitbit One activity tracker can be used for measuring steps - but not distance as it kept overestimating the distance traveled. GPS-connected devices or smartphones should theoretically fair better here.

Despite iMedicalApps’ recommendation I’m not in favor of prescribing this device to patients as lots of smartphones have the same functionality for free.