Wearable technology is expected to be one of the top fitness trends in 2024 | Local News

LOGAN – John Rendall from Providence tries to exercise daily. He works out on of the cardio machines at Planet Fitness as well doing some outside of the gym. He tries to record 5,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Rendall records some of his steps on his watch and some on the machine he is working on.

Rendall is following the new trends in fitness by using wearable technology.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) took survey of 2,000 health professionals to determine the future of worldwide health and fitness industry in 2024. They concluded it was the same as 2016: wearable technology.

Technology continues to make an impact on the world and wearable tech. Wearable-tech has scored in the top three trends in seven years and continues to hold the number one spot for 2024.

Smart watches, fitness trackers and heart rate monitors can give real-time pulse, step counts and sleep information, thus providing exercise professionals the opportunity to tailor programs for their clients.

Wearable tech is being named the top trend in 2024. It may also suggest an increased interest in using these tools for community connections and social support.

Trends co-author and spokesperson A’Naja Newsome, Ph.D., ACSM-CEP said fitness professionals understand social support is one of the strongest predictors of exercise self-efficacy.

“It is important for exercise professionals to leverage the capabilities of wearable technology to improve adherence and autonomy for clients,” she said. “We are noticing that exercise professionals prioritize health-related outcomes of fitness programs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are starting to see fitness being used to reduce symptoms of mental illness and to increase health related quality of life,”

The No. 2 fitness trend for 2024 is worksite health promotion, which entered the top 10 for the first time.

The survey found a correlation between employees getting back to work “in office” post-pandemic and the development of work-related programs and perks increased employee wellness.

The number three trend, fitness programs for older adults, experienced fluctuations that were influenced by the pandemic and other external factors, including the fact that many Baby Boomers are entering retirement and adopting a lifestyle that focuses on fitness.

This trend was No. 9 in 2021, No. 11 in 2022, then moved up to the No. 4 slot in 2023 and No. 3 in 2024. According to the 2021 Profile of Older Americans, the number of Americans aged 65 and above rose by 38% between 2010 and 2021.

Further, this increase is likely to continue through 2040. Roughly 27% of this population lives independently, and regular physical activity is key to helping them remain healthy and independent.

The survey was compiled to accurately predict the top 20 fitness trends in the United States and around the world.

For 2024, findings were combined from two surveys, ACSM’s Worldwide Fitness Trends and Fitness Trends from Around the Globe, to provide a more wide-ranging but regionally sensitive perspective.

The authors also organized the individual trends into thematic categories: Digital Technology, Exercise Setting, Special Populations, Programming, Fitness Business Model, Medical Fitness and Training Modality.