Would Your Child Wear a Fitness Tracker?

Would your child wear a fitness tracker?

In a new study of 25 kids, researchers tested whether fitness trackers could be suitable tools for studying children's physical activity. The 7- to 10-year-olds tested three different fitness trackers — worn on the waist, wrist or upper arm — and a heart rate monitor. The children wore each device for a week, and later completed interviews along with their parents about which device they liked the best.

The wrist tracker was the kids’ favorite because it was the most comfortable and displayed an animated figure when the children moved.

“When studying kids' activity, even the most accurate tracker won't be useful if children don't wear the device, or can easily break it, so the goal of the survey was to find the types of devices that work best with kids,” said study researcher Sara Schaefer, of the Foods For Health Institute at the University of California, Davis.

How can parents encourage their children to be physically fit?  In my opinion, make physical activities and games FUN for the whole family!  The key to successful participation is creativity and positive reinforcement as well as scheduling a regular time during the week as “family playtime."  Families need to work - and play - together to enhance physical fitness while building stronger relationships.  With an integrated approach, parents, grandparents and children can create fun, recreational games that also increase self-esteem - and help families bond - while increasing kids' physical activity.

To learn how Fitness for Health can help your child enjoy physical fitness, visit www.FitnessForHealth.org.