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Mahi Mallina

Professor Babcock

English 137H: Rhetoric and Civic Life

13 November 2022

Wearable Technology: Revolutionizing Health One Invention At A Time

Wearable technology. It has become the latest trend with almost 202.6 million individuals

worldwide sporting a fitness tracker, smartwatch or any other electronic device that can be worn

on the body (Laricchia). Alongside performing menial tasks like telling the time or sending

notifications, wearable technology allows users to perform tasks usually constrained to handheld

devices, experience virtual reality, and more importantly, take control of their health. This

health-based technology is not the first of its kind. In fact, fitness trackers in general can be

traced back to the 1960s when the Manpo-Kei (“10000 Step Meter”) rose in popularity in Japan,

starting a pedometer trend that spread across the world (“Counting Every Step You Take”).

However, by the 21st century, the trend died down as more people focused on unhealthy ways to

get fit short-term. Then, enter the FitBit, a more advanced pedometer, that not only restarted the

craze of counting steps, but also ushered in a new era of smartwatches and other wearable

technology to hold us accountable for our health. But, what made this time different? The

incorporation of other features into a standard pedometer. Since the 1990s, society has responded

to the rise of wearables with new inclusive technology by incorporating long-term physical

health into their lifestyles. The conscious effort to integrate health has seen a shift in views

regarding physical health and preventive healthcare, although there have been steps backward as

well.
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By the late 1990s, physical activity as a whole decreased significantly due to more

sedentary lifestyles. Thanks to computer-based office jobs, inactive leisure activities, and

dependence on motor transportation, there has been an increase in people worldwide, especially

those in industrialized nations, becoming inactive. The World Health Organization (WHO)

predicts that one in four adults and more than 80% of adolescents “do not meet the global

recommended physical activity levels” (“Physical Activity”). This is a stark contrast from thirty

years prior, when more occupations and daily activities demanded moderate intensity physical

activity (Basset et al. 1303). Even though pedometers were extremely popular, tracking steps’

novelty often wore off due to their high inaccuracy and limited features (Basset et al. 1307). It

was harder to motivate themselves and since technological advancements have made jobs and

chores easier with less effort, many people often overlooked physical health.

The early 21st century acted as a catalyst, degrading physical health with new societal

body standards. The early 2000s saw celebrities like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton sporting

low-rise jeans, crop tops, and mini skirts. However, with the iconic fashion trends came body

dysmorphia as being waif-like and micro-thin were considered in; thin girls were the heroines

and supermodels and those who gained weight saw media backlash (Kong). Young girls and

women across the country, faced with unrealistic beauty ideals, began to glamorize disordered

eating with fad diets from “thinspo” magazines and workouts for a skinny waist and thin legs

(Kong). Consequently, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia spiked alongside the

consequences associated with them (kidney and heart failure, malnutrition, depression, etc.)

(Morris and Katzman 288). Despite the detrimental outlook to their health, many people fell

prey. Physical health meant quickly changing the way they looked rather than sustaining healthy

choices long-term.
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With the development of new and advanced fitness trackers, the 2010s saw a positive

shift toward tuning into the body’s overall health. Coupled with social media’s body positivity

movement, more people have already begun to focus less on physiological appearance and more

on overall health (Kong). Fitbit Flex’s release took advantage of this movement with features

that specialized in crucial yet overlooked aspects of health. In the past, metrics like sleep

tracking and heart rate required bulky devices and were hard to obtain, but now they are in a

lightweight and accessible device that can be worn on the wrist all day (Basset et al. 1310). The

release saw an outpouring number of new users; in 2015, tech companies around the world sold

21,355 thousand trackers (Laricchia). Particularly, the digital companion app tracked trends and

acted as a personal coach, giving detailed insights on what could be improved and motivating

users. One woman discusses how unlike older pedometers, Fitbits also incorporated hourly

reminders to move, which has pushed her to walk more in her otherwise inactive lifestyle

(Siepmann and Kowalczuk). The fitness tracker was key in starting the shift because it motivated

individuals to focus on other aspects of health and continue reaching their goals. With

personalized feedback that tracks every step, sleep, and heart rate, the rise in Fitbit’s popularity

led to technology redefining fitness as something that can be incorporated into any life without

changing physical body structure.

However, the shift only fully took form in the late 2010s, when tech giants like Apple and

Samsung began to release their own smartwatches with even more features. Although Apple

released its Series 1 watch in 2015, the technology did not get much fame until it transitioned

from just being a fashion statement to a health enthusiast essential (Canales). By the time Series

3 came out in 2017, Fitbit, who set the stage for health monitoring, saw its sales plummet as

other tech giants began to release their own wearables to capitalize on the new health craze
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(Canales). These smartwatches have the ability to track more workout types (dry and aquatic),

menstrual cycles, and blood oxygen levels. The new devices honed in on metrics that influence

everyday life, changing the perception that health had to be taken care of separately and making

it more accessible to all. However, the advancement in technology over the past three decades is

not the only one to do so.

Psychologically, the idea of wearable technology starting the shift can be rooted in

behavior change principles used to ameliorate a person’s health and well-being. Although this

phenomenon is human nature, new fitness trackers from Fitbit to Apple Watch are built

specifically with the goal of changing behavior in the long-term. In several experiments, those

with a fitness tracker introduced new and healthy behaviors like working out, drinking water, and

sleeping more regularly into their daily routines more frequently than the control group (Cook et

al. 5). However, just getting data from a tracker was not enough for many individuals; in fact,

being held accountable and extrinsic rewards were more important (8). In other words, new

wearables are the most prominent reason for the shift in integrating health because of their

increased focus on accountability.

Most fitness trackers on the market allow users to compete with friends (steps, workouts,

calories burned, etc.), earn badges as rewards for meeting a goal or challenge and buzz to take a

relaxation break or drink water (Canales). By constantly stimulating and reminding people,

rather than just simply showing the data, the developing technology has psychologically

motivated them to incorporate health into their lives. American adults have been more active and

making more conscious health decisions recently than they have in the past twenty years, with

many crediting wearables for achieving their fitness goals (Cook et al. 16).
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The psychological shift in viewing health can also be seen in the way society incorporates

fitness into everyday life. Even before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many employers

turned to focusing on their employees’ health at home and work, encouraging more company

sponsored health and wellness programs. For instance, Iron Mountain, a data management

company headquartered in Boston, started the LiveWell program in 2015 (Hamblen). Employees

with any fitness tracker have the chance to complete challenges such as walking two million

steps a year, eating more vegetables and fruits, and meeting the standard eight hours of sleep

(Hamblen). After completing the challenge, the employee earns points that will turn into real

cash awards (Hamblen). The lucrative incentives have helped lower the company’s healthcare

costs and boosted employee morale and wellness (Hamblen). The juxtaposition of office-based

jobs causing physical inactivity in the 1990s to them improving society’s health now illustrates

how more people view health as valuable and continuous, even integrating it into a notoriously

sedentary part of life.

Health has also become an everyday topic with new trends dominating normal

conversations. From as early as 2019, TikTok users all around the world began to participate in

the “Close Your Rings” challenge, encouraging them to close their rings on the Apple Watch by

standing each hour, completing daily workouts, and burning active calories. Stand, Activity and

Move. The three brightly-colored rings represent Apple’s push towards health where closing

them represents meeting personal fitness goals (“Apple Watch - Close Your Rings”). However,

the challenge truly gained traction in June 2022 when the company posted a workout tutorial on

the social media platform and users began to duet the video with new and sometimes hilarious

exercises (Yomary). #Closeyourrings has almost 21.8 billion views with many expecting the

challenge to last longer than a “quick fad” (Yomary). Social media like TikTok has immense
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power, influencing people’s values and beliefs. Now that people are more conscious of their

health, trends and hashtags associated with wearable technology have more impact, making ideas

like normalizing healthy lifestyles and movement more mainstream than ever before.

Not only has wearable technology advancement caused a shift in the perception of

physical health, but it has also ushered in a new view in proactive health monitoring. Thirty years

ago, home health care was still in its infancy. Although there were some machines sold at retail

stores by the early 1990s, many were expensive, bothersome, and only bought if the person had a

preexisting, heavily monitored condition like diabetes or heart disease (Adasuriya and Haldar 1).

For instance, an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine that is used to detect heart problems was

“cumbersome to carry around or require an invasive implant procedure,” costing a lot of time

and money (Li et al. 1). Additionally, patients only used them at certain times in a day, limiting

the data that medical professionals could use to determine the treatment’s course (Adasuriya and

Haldar 2).

Now, wearables offer healthcare professionals extensive data to provide more insight into

treatments and medical conditions, transforming the doctor-patient relationship. As discussed

before, technology has allowed an average person with no known conditions to continuously

monitor vitals like heart rate, ECG, and oxygen levels with lightweight and multipurpose

devices. Patients can store this data in health apps and share it confidentially through patient

portals (Cook et al. 7). Physicians can then interpret the patterns and make more informed

medical decisions than before (8). Unlike before when it required much more space and effort,

disease screening and management can be integral to anyone who actively engages with their

health via wearables.

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Fitness-based smartwatches are also helping those who are seemingly healthy recognize

hidden or sudden-onset health issues and take action before it becomes deadly. Looking at a

myocardial infarction (MI), it is often commonplace to delay going to the hospital after the chest

pain has started to see if it subsides. The median time from “symptom onset to hospital arrival

ranges from 1.5 to 6 hours” (Li et al. 1). Even without a delay, up to one third of patients are

asymptomatic, making it difficult to identify and diagnose MI and risking much more severe

complications like heart failure and death (1). Consequently, 1995 saw a 11.7% mortality rate for

all heart failure cases in the United States with approximately 46,484 dead (Adasuriya and

Haldar 3). In many cases, the damage was already done in the past as people pushed taking care

of their health to the side, especially if they did not recognize the warning signs.

Recently, however, the wearables are always attached to a person, getting timely data that

can save someone’s life. The newest Apple Watch warns users of panic attacks based on heart

rate patterns, offers to call emergency services if it detects a fall, and even sends alerts when it

senses irregular heartbeats (Canales). For instance, the ECG app will send explicit signals to

users to seek medical attention or record the data to their patient portal. More importantly,

whereas users once ignored the warning their body gave them for an incoming MI, wearables

send a “clear signal to the user to seek medical attention and minimize treatment delay” (Li et al.

2). The shift in the user’s mentality has already seen beneficial improvements; Americans today

are less likely to have and die from a heart attack with many doctors partially attributing the

decrease to the rise in preventative healthcare provided by wearable technology (ScienceDaily).

Similarly, one UNC student who initially dismissed feeling unwell by “sleeping it off” was

woken up by her Apple Watch’s notification for a high heart rate of 198 beats per minute

(Arthur). After being diagnosed with pneumonia, which can cause lung damage if left untreated,
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she credits the smartwatch for saving her life and convincing her to visit the ER earlier than she

initially planned (Arthur). Now, more people are relying on themselves to take care of their

health, rather than waiting for a health care professional’s diagnosis.

Even though wearable technology has positively integrated health into life, the

technology has led to other residual ideas’ evolution, decreasing health and wellness’ value in

some lives.

Despite wearable technology making people more aware of their health, it has also led to

excessive obsessiveness with the numbers shown on the tiny screen. In an era where users keep

track of overall physical and mental health with fitness trackers, some have seen an increase in

health-related anxiety (hypochondria) (Cook et al. 18). Oftentimes, users see the alerts or data

trends and self-diagnose themselves with terminal diseases, leading to stress and ironically,

actual health conditions in recent years (Murray et al.). In fact, one woman’s watch gave her

fifty-five atrial fibrillation (AF) warnings in a year with studies showing that the EKG system

was most likely inconclusive (Murray et al.). However, she checked “herself for heart

abnormalities almost three times a day, precisely 916 times over the course of just one year”

(Murray et al.). 916 times. The repetitive measurements illustrate how data from wearables is

only helpful in moderation; otherwise, it turns into an obsession that can detrimentally impact

mental and physical health.

Similarly, the increased fitness tracker usage has also led to more eating and body image

disorders, negatively impacting users’ health once again. In many cases, users will become

fixated on the number rather than their overall goal, making them feel hopeless or unworthy if

the number is not met. In 2016, CNN's two hundred female Fitbit users survey found that

“almost 60% felt like their devices controlled their days, and 30% said the gadget was an
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‘enemy’ that made them feel guilty” (Ducharme). Another Apple Watch user reported that seeing

the rings was “like handcuffs,” determining their entire worth (Siepmann and Kowalczuk 808).

Even simply counting steps could become a problem; Duke University found that it could

actually demotivate people from making sustainable choices regarding their health (Ducharme).

The dependence on closing rings and numbers becomes an addiction. Wearable technology acts

as a double-edged sword; although it can have a positive reinforcement to people to achieve their

fitness goals, it can also end up damaging health. People can become too focused on counting

individual workouts and calories burned and fail to see the bigger picture.

Health has always been essential in our lives, but thanks to continued technological

advancement, it has gradually become a main focus. With new fitness trackers that come out

every year with new features, health is now at the forefront of everyone's minds as they are

accessible even to a normal person who does not workout. No longer do wearables focus only on

a person’s activity as recently, they began giving a more holistic view of what “health” actually

is. However, the impact doesn’t stop there: it has revolutionized healthcare, making it easier to

detect, diagnose, and prevent diseases and illnesses. In just a few decades, health has become

more personalized and about meeting our individual goals, big or small.
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Works Cited

Adasuriya, Gamith, and Shouvik Haldar. “Remote Monitoring of Cardiac Arrhythmias Using

Wearable Digital Technology: Paradigm Shift or Pipe Dream?” European Journal of

Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology, vol. 8, no. 1, 2022. Touch Cardio,

https://www.touchcardio.com/arrhythmia/journal-articles/remote-monitoring-of-cardiac-a

rrhythmias-using-wearable-digital-technology-paradigm-shift-or-pipe-dream/.

“Apple Watch - Close Your Rings.” Apple, https://www.apple.com/watch/close-your-rings/.

Accessed 31 October 2022.

Arthur, Keely. “'It saved my life:' Apple Watch alerts UNC student to alarming heart rate.”

WRAL, 11 October 2022,

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