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Reliability and Validity of

Commercially Available Wearable
Devices for Measuring Steps,
Energy Expenditure, and Heart
Rate: Systematic Review
Daniel Fuller et al. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2020.
Free PMC article

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Abstract
Background: Consumer-wearable activity trackers
are small electronic devices that record fitness and
health-related measures.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review

was to examine the validity and reliability of
commercial wearables in measuring step count,
heart rate, and energy expenditure.

Methods: We identified devices to be included in

the review. Database searches were conducted in
PubMed, Embase, and SPORTDiscus, and only
articles published in the English language up to
May 2019 were considered. Studies were excluded
if they did not identify the device used and if they
did not examine the validity or reliability of the
device. Studies involving the general population
and all special populations were included. We
operationalized validity as criterion validity (as
compared with other measures) and construct
validity (degree to which the device is measuring
what it claims). Reliability measures focused on
intradevice and interdevice reliability.

Results: We included 158 publications examining

nine different commercial wearable device brands.
Fitbit was by far the most studied brand. In
laboratory-based settings, Fitbit, Apple Watch, and
Samsung appeared to measure steps accurately.
Heart rate measurement was more variable, with
Apple Watch and Garmin being the most accurate
and Fitbit tending toward underestimation. For
energy expenditure, no brand was accurate. We
also examined validity between devices within a
specific brand.

Conclusions: Commercial wearable devices are

accurate for measuring steps and heart rate in
laboratory-based settings, but this varies by the
manufacturer and device type. Devices are
constantly being upgraded and redesigned to new
models, suggesting the need for more current
reviews and research.

Keywords: Apple Watch; Fitbit; Garmin; Polar;

commercial wearable devices; energy expenditure;
heart rate; step count; systematic review.

©Daniel Fuller, Emily Colwell, Jonathan Low, Kassia

Orychock, Melissa Ann Tobin, Bo Simango, Richard Buote,
Desiree Van Heerden, Hui Luan, Kimberley Cullen, Logan
Slade, Nathan G A Taylor. Originally published in JMIR
mHealth and uHealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org),
08.09.2020.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: Author JL was employed by
Garmin Inc. during the publication process but after
completion of the paper. All other authors have no
conflicts to declare.

Figures

Figure 1 PRISMA flow chart for systematic…

Figure 2 Number of studies published per…

Figure 3 Line graph of studies published…

Figure 4 Mean percentage error (MPE) plots…

Figure 5 Box plots representing mean percentage…

Figure 6 Box plots representing mean percentage…

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Publication types
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Systematic Review

MeSH terms
Energy Metabolism
Fitness Trackers*
Heart Rate
Humans
Reproducibility of Results
Wearable Electronic Devices*

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