FIU Study Finds 4 Smartwatches Overestimate Exercise Calories by 15%-25%
Updated
Updated · Digital Information World · Sep 17
FIU Study Finds 4 Smartwatches Overestimate Exercise Calories by 15%-25%
2 articles · Updated · Digital Information World · Sep 17
Summary
Fifty-eight adults tested four popular smartwatches against clinical lab equipment, and every device overstated calories burned during cycling workouts, according to a PLOS One study.
Typical errors ran about 15% to 25%, with larger gaps for people with higher body fat—raising the risk of calorie-surplus mistakes for users trying to manage weight.
Apple was the most accurate of the watches tested, while Garmin and Samsung overestimated the most; Fitbit data was partly excluded after faulty readings, including one calorie for an entire workout.
Researchers said users should treat calorie-burn figures as rough guides, round them down, and rely more on metrics wearables track better, such as heart rate and time in each zone.