Can an activity tracker help older adults move more?
This article is verified by 1 study/publication.
Seeing a daily step count can make an otherwise vague goal—move more—feel concrete. But does wearing an activity tracker actually change your behavior? Research in older adults suggests it can help as part of a program, with an important distinction between the device and the support around it.
Too long; didn’t read (Summary)
- A 2025 review included 23 randomized trials with 4,566 community-dwelling older adults.
- Tracker-based programs increased steps and activity time versus usual care immediately after the intervention.
- A clear advantage over other active programs was not established.
- Many programs included coaching or goals; the findings do not isolate the device or establish weight-loss and function benefits.
What the programs involved
A 2025 systematic review included 23 randomized trials with 4,566 older adults living in the community. Eligibility allowed studies in which participants were aged at least 55, or the average or median age was at least 55. The devices ranged from simple pedometers to wrist-worn trackers.
Many interventions also included goal setting, counseling, exercise plans or feedback from another person. Participants were therefore often testing a package of support, rather than simply putting on a watch and carrying on as before.
The review separated comparisons with usual care from comparisons with active programs, such as exercise advice or a tailored activity plan without a tracker. That distinction changes the question: adding a supported program to usual care is different from adding a device to existing support.[1]
More steps, but not every outcome improved
Immediately after the interventions, tracker-based programs increased daily steps and activity time relative to usual care. The certainty was moderate for steps and low for activity time. Compared with other active programs, the review did not establish a clear advantage in activity time. This is not proof that the approaches are identical.
Activity time immediately after tracker-based programs in community-dwelling older adults. Each row uses a different comparison group.
Compared with usual care
More activity time; low-certainty evidence
Compared with another supported program
No clear extra benefit; moderate-certainty evidence
Dot: the estimated average difference. Line: the uncertainty around that estimate.
Tracker programs increased activity time versus usual care, with low-certainty evidence. Their extra benefit over other supported activity programs was unclear. Trackers were often combined with goals or counseling, so this does not isolate the device’s effect.
See the numbers and study details
| Outcome | Estimate | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| Compared with usual care | 0.28 | 0.10 … 0.47 |
| Compared with another supported program | 0.11 | -0.08 … 0.30 |
0 = no difference between the groups
Table 2, Immediate / Physical activity time: Usual care and Conventional intervention; Results, Physical Activity Time; Figure 2A
Source: Li et al., Journal of Medical Internet Research (2025)
At the later follow-up points classified by the authors as short term, the step-count benefit versus usual care was still detectable in 4 trials. The evidence did not establish a clear benefit for activity time at those follow-ups, and it does not promise that changes last indefinitely.
The review also found no clear improvements over usual care in sedentary time, BMI, body fat or the assessed physical-function tests. More steps should therefore not be presented as proof of weight loss, less sitting or better performance when getting up and walking.
Use the feedback to support an action
If a tracker makes your activity easier to notice, you can use that feedback to plan a realistic change: a regular walk, a reminder to make time for movement, or a goal you review rather than ignore. The finding applies most directly to supported programs in older adults, not every device or every user.
The studies varied in their participants, interventions and measurement methods; some activity measures were self-reported. They also often combined several components, so the independent effect of the gadget remains uncertain.
The useful role of a tracker is to help you turn information into an action you keep doing. A number on your wrist is feedback, not a guarantee that your activity, body composition and physical function will all improve together.
Sources
- Wearable Activity Tracker–Based Interventions for Physical Activity, Body Composition, and Physical Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Li R, Li Y, Wang L, Li L, Fu C, Hu D, Wei Q. J Med Internet Res. 2025;27:e59507. doi: 10.2196/59507. Study.