Medscape July 3, 2025
A new algorithm enabled smartwatch fitness trackers to more accurately estimate energy expenditure by individuals with obesity.
In two studies conducted in a total of 52 people for 1838 minutes in a lab and 14,045 minutes in a “free-living” situation, the algorithm performed mostly as well or better than 11 “gold-standard” algorithms designed by other researchers using research-grade devices, achieving over 95% accuracy in people with obesity in real-world situations.
The algorithm bridges an important gap in fitness technology — that most wearable devices are using algorithms validated mainly in people without obesity, said Nabil Alshurafa, PhD, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, in Chicago.
Alshurafa was motivated to create the algorithm after attending an exercise class with his mother-in-law,...
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