Promoting physical activity in clinical practice through wearable technology

The negative health consequences of physical inactivity continue to be a global problem that must be addressed from the highest levels of government down to local primary care providers. Physical activity has been identified as a useful patient vital sign in health care. Advanced practice nurses should aggressively prescribe physical activity as an evidence-based intervention to help mitigate the increased mortality and morbidity associated with a sedentary lifestyle. A focused literature review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane online databases. Fitness wearables and mobile health trackers are a catalyst for lifestyle behavior change and cultivate a health care partnership between the patient and their provider. The evolution of fitness wearables into mainstream health care hinges on the ability of devices to integrate into electronic health records, uniformity of manufacturer standards, intuitiveness, and the assurance of user privacy and security. It is incumbent on nurse practitioners to educate themselves about the reliability and practicality of fitness trackers for their patient population. Future research should focus on adopting quality standards for all consumer devices, the seamless integration of device data into electronic health records and ensuring personal privacy and security.