Wearable Activity Trackers a Reliable Tool for Predicting Death Risk in Older Adults

A study in the Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences by Johns Hopkins researchers found wearable accelerometers can more reliably measure physical activity than surveys and other means doctors use to evaluate five-year risk of death in older adults, reports Medical Xpress . The investigators examined accelerometry data from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey to grade 33 predictors of five-year all-cause mortality, ranking physical activity and other factors to determine which variables best predict mortality within the following five years of the study population. The team suggests physicians could apply these findings to accelerometers' fitness profiles to help persons quit unhealthy behaviors, boost physical activity, and extend their lifespans. "People can overestimate or underestimate on surveys how much and when they move, but wearable devices provide accurate data that cuts through the bias and guesswork," says Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Professor Jacek Urbanek. "The technology is readily available and relatively inexpensive, so it seems feasible to be able to incorporate recommendations for its use into a physician's practice."