Wearable Activity Trackers and Physical Activity Levels Among Members of the Athens Medical Association in Greece

Introduction: Wearable Activity Trackers (WATs) offer real-time feedback on activity levels. We assessed the impact of WAT usage on physicians' exercise habits. Methods: Physicians from the Athens Medical Association, Greece (n = 742) responded to a self-administered questionnaire evaluating usage of WAT, demographic characteristics, specialty, and physical exercise habits. WHO guidelines recommend at least 150 min/week of moderate-intensity exercise in all healthy adults. Subjects were divided in Users of WATs (Group A), and Non-Users of WATs (Group B). This is an observational, cross-sectional study. Results: There was no difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups (age, sex, body mass index). WATs were used by 38%. Between Group A and B, there was difference in mean exercise training time (302 +/- 304 min vs. 210 +/- 268 min, p < 0.001), higher percentage of WHO goal achievement (66.3% vs. 50.7%, p < 0.001), and greater awareness of WHO Guidelines (59.9% vs. 47.4%, p < 0.001). WATs were mostly used by four main specialties, with higher use from Cardiologists: Cardiology (47%), Endocrinology (44%), Surgery (35%) and Internal Medicine (25%), with a p = 0.045. Finally, users of WATs compared to non-users showed higher willingness to reduce body weight (58.5% vs. 48%, p = 0.01), apply dietary restrictions (36.5% vs. 29.6%, p = 0.05), and greater motivation for weekly physical exercise (74.1% vs. 32.4%, p < 0.001); Conclusion: Physicians using WATs demonstrate increased exercise training time, greater awareness of WHO guidelines and a higher propensity to implement dietary restrictions compared to non-users. Variations in WAT usage across medical specialties emphasize the need for targeted interventions to promote physical activity and enhance healthcare professionals' health.