SMARTWATCH-BASED ACTIVITY TRACKING VERSUS STANDARD EXERCISE ADVICE IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL AMONG OVERWEIGHT ADULTS
Keywords:
Body Mass Index, Exercise Therapy, Glycemic Control, Overweight, Physical Activity, Smartwatch, , Type 2 Diabetes PreventionAbstract
Background: Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are major contributors to poor glycemic control and metabolic disorders in overweight adults. Conventional exercise counseling often fails to ensure sustained behavioral change due to lack of real-time feedback and self-monitoring. Wearable technology, particularly smartwatches, offers an innovative approach by promoting consistent activity tracking and motivation through instant feedback mechanisms.
Objective: To evaluate whether smartwatch-guided physical activity enhances glycemic control more effectively than conventional exercise advice among overweight adults.
Methods: A six-month randomized controlled trial was conducted in South Punjab involving 120 overweight adults aged 25–55 years. Participants were randomly allocated to a smartwatch-guided intervention group or a control group receiving standard exercise advice. The intervention group used smartwatches for daily activity tracking and goal setting. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and physical activity levels were measured at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, paired t-tests, and repeated-measures ANOVA for normally distributed variables, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The smartwatch group demonstrated significant improvements in glycemic parameters, with mean FBG decreasing from 116.4 ± 7.8 mg/dL to 101.3 ± 6.4 mg/dL and HbA1c from 6.2 ± 0.3% to 5.7 ± 0.3% (p < 0.001). The control group showed smaller changes (FBG: 115.9 ± 7.5 to 109.4 ± 6.8 mg/dL; HbA1c: 6.1 ± 0.4 to 5.9 ± 0.4%). BMI and waist circumference declined significantly only in the smartwatch group. Physical activity indicators, including step count and active minutes, were markedly higher among smartwatch users.
Conclusion: Smartwatch-based physical activity tracking produced superior improvements in glycemic control and activity adherence compared to standard exercise advice. The findings support the integration of wearable technology into community-level interventions for metabolic health improvement.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Imtiaz Subhani, Muhammad Affan Nadeem (Author)
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