All articles tagged with #health metrics
Withings has introduced the Body Scan 2, a $600 smart scale that measures over 60 health biomarkers in 90 seconds to assess aging and chronic disease risks, aiming to provide a comprehensive at-home health monitoring tool that can detect early warning signs and guide lifestyle changes for improved long-term health.
Experts suggest that while common fitness metrics like mile run time and push-up count can provide some insight into health, they are limited and should be viewed as part of a broader focus on overall progress, functionality, and maintaining mobility for long-term health. Key indicators include aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and joint mobility, with emphasis on consistent activity and functional assessments over arbitrary benchmarks.
The article compares the Whoop MG and Apple Watch Series 10, highlighting that Whoop offers detailed health and sleep metrics with longer battery life but lacks a screen and has a costly subscription model, making it ideal for niche users focused on in-depth health data. In contrast, the Apple Watch provides a versatile, feature-rich experience with a screen, easier exercise tracking, and a more affordable long-term cost, suitable for general users who want a smartwatch with health features.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, priced at $449-$499, offers a stylish design, a smooth rotating bezel, and advanced health and fitness features including a new AI-powered Running Coach and sleep coaching, making it a top contender in the Android smartwatch market despite some design and usability drawbacks.
The Oura Ring Gen 4, a sleep and health tracking device, is now 15% off for Prime Day, making it an affordable way to monitor various health metrics and improve sleep quality, with potential early illness detection benefits.
Experts are advocating for the use of the Body Roundness Index (BRI) over the traditional Body Mass Index (BMI) as a more accurate health metric, particularly for assessing visceral fat around vital organs. Unlike BMI, which only considers height and weight, BRI uses waist circumference to provide a better indication of health risks such as heart disease and cancer. Studies suggest that a BRI between 0.3 and 3 is healthy, but most adults in the UK exceed this range, indicating a national health concern.
Body composition tests, which measure body fat and muscle mass, are becoming more popular as they provide a more accurate picture of health compared to BMI. These tests, such as DEXA scans and bioelectric impedance analysis, are increasingly available in gyms and medical settings. They help individuals track fitness progress more effectively, showing gains in muscle and reductions in body fat, which are important for overall health and longevity.
Apple's Cardio Recovery, previously known as heart rate recovery, is a health metric measured by the Apple Watch after workouts, reflecting the heart's response to the autonomic nervous system. Good Cardio Recovery numbers are a drop of 13 bpm or more after 1 minute, or 22 bpm or more after two minutes. To track and view Cardio Recovery, users can access the data on their Apple Watch and iPhone. Tips to improve Cardio Recovery include quality sleep, hydration, a nutritious diet, meditation, stress reduction, and avoiding alcohol.
WalletHub has released a list of the chubbiest and slimmest states in America, based on obesity and overweight prevalence, health consequences, and food and fitness metrics. The top five chubbiest states are West Virginia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas, while the least obese states are Vermont, Montana, Washington, Minnesota, and California. The rankings also include a list of comfort foods by state.
Withings has launched a new Body Smart scale that offers a comprehensive selection of health metrics, including weight, accurate to within 50 grams, which can even be recorded without telling you. A new feature called ‘Eyes Closed Mode’ will hide the user’s weight from the scale’s screen, and instead display encouraging messages of motivation, or other information like the day’s air quality or weather forecast. The Body Smart uses multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, which measures the resistance and reactance of tissue to a small imperceptible electrical signal sent through the body, from one foot to the other.
Fitbit needs to modernize and redesign its app before introducing new features, as it integrates with Google. The app needs a basic modernization, including a dark theme, dynamic color, new widgets, large screen support, and more glanceable stats. Fitbit should integrate health metrics into the main feed and offer more information-dense graphs. As Google overhauls Fitbit, it needs a good foundation to demonstrate its software commitment to the service.
Fitbit's Health Metrics tab, which shows important health-related information over time, is now available for free to all users, including Pixel Watch owners. Previously a Fitbit Premium feature, Health Metrics displays breathing rate, skin temperature, oxygen saturation, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. While not a substitute for professional medical guidance, this information can be useful for tracking health trends and identifying potential issues. Users can access the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app and view daily and trend data at 7-day, 30-day, and 90-day intervals.