Fitness trackers: Are people happy to hand over health data?

Despite growing concerns about data privacy, new research from the University of South Australia (UniSA) shows that most people who use fitness watches are happy to hand over their health information if it could help improve their care.

In a new global study, UniSA researchers found that 94% of those who use wearable activity trackers – such as Fitbits, Garmins, as well as Samsung or Apple Watches – are open to sharing data with their healthcare providers.

Of these respondents, 47% of people had already discussed their data with their healthcare provider, and 43% of people had already shared it. Only 26% of people voiced concerns.

The international wearable activity tracker market is currently valued at USD 63 billion and it is projected to reach USD 352 billion by 2033. Estimates suggest that 39% of US adults and 36% of Australian adults own a smartwatch.

Dr Ty Ferguson says the fact that people are open to sharing their personal health data with health providers could pave the way for more personalised care. ‘Every day we hear about privacy risks and data breaches, so it’s reasonable to assume that data sharing might raise issues,’ Dr Ferguson says.

‘But in reality, the opposite is true – people are overwhelmingly willing to share health data from their smartwatches, as long as it’s with trusted health professionals such as doctors or physiotherapists.’

Openness to sharing data was even higher among people with chronic health conditions, he added. ‘By sharing personalised health data – such as sleep patterns, physical activity, or heart rate – healthcare providers can gain deeper insights about each patient’s needs, potentially offering smarter, more responsive, and better-quality care.’

Globally, 31% of adults and 80% of teenagers do not meet the recommended physical activity guidelines, increasing their risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Poor diet and insufficient sleep are also widespread, with one in eight people living with obesity, and nearly half (48%) of all Australian adults reporting at least 2 sleep-related problems.

Treating preventable non-communicable diseases is expected to cost nearly US$ 300 billion globally by 2030. Co-author and post-doctoral researcher, Kimberley Szeto says these figures highlight the urgent need for healthcare systems to better support healthy lifestyle behaviour.

‘Being inactive, not getting enough quality sleep, and poor diet, are all preventable behaviours that can contribute to a higher risk of chronic disease,’ Szeto says. ‘Wearable activity trackers are a popular, relatively low-cost tool, that help people monitor their daily habits and better understand how this can impact their overall wellbeing.’

She says that if people are open to sharing this information with their health providers, they could potentially receive health support that is specifically targeted to their own condition and health behaviours. However, more work should be done to enhance the quality and usability of data.

‘While the positives are clear, challenges remain, from ensuring the reliability and validity of wearable activity data, and costs for data integration, to improving data security, and training for healthcare providers,’ Szeto says. ‘Personalised healthcare is the way of the future; when we have the data and the desire to share it, it’s only a matter of time before we see progression.’