Health and fitness app and device usage in Ireland continues to grow despite scepticism from experts and declining faith in their impact

Reach Insights Press Release

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20th February 2019 Health and fitness app and device usage in Ireland continues to grow despite scepticism from experts and declining faith in their impact Most popular types of app – Steps counter (84%), Heart rate monitor (27%) & Sleep Monitoring (23%) 74% believe these apps improve health/ fitness/ eating behaviour 27% use health or fitness tracking devices, wristbands (58%) and watch (42%) the most popular A drop of 16% in those who feel that fitness devices have a positive impact on their health More and more people are using smart phone applications and fitness devices to keep track of their health and well-being as technology becomes ever more integral to people’s everyday lives. The presence of these lifestyle apps and devices continues to grow despite numerous expert and academic reports that cast doubt over their actual health benefits. In order to build a better picture of this trend in Ireland, iReach has conduced a nationally representative survey of 1001 people to gauge their thoughts on health and fitness apps and devices and to learn more about how they are used.  39% of people in Ireland use apps that concern their health, body, fitness or diet, an increase of 4% from 2018. This figure is highest among 18-34-year olds at 46%, up from 42% last year and lowest with those aged over 55 on just 28%, though this figure is 3% higher than in 2018. The most popular types of app are steps counters or trackers (84%), heart rare monitors (27%) and sleep monitors (23%). Just under 3 in 4 people (74%) feel that these apps improve their health, fitness or eating behaviour. 27% of respondents use a fitness device, which is up from 21% last year. The most popular form of fitness tracking devices are wristbands or bracelets (58%) and watches (42%), with Fitbit by a large distance the most used brand at 63% followed by Garmin on 11%. 41% believe that fitness devices have a positive effect on their health, fitness or dietary habits, which represents are sharp decrease from last year where 57% felt that such devices had a positive impact. Nonetheless, 80% of users would be likely to recommend their tracking device to a friend

About iReach Insights

iReach Insights provides a range of research and market intelligence services in Ireland and Europe. iReach has built a Consumer Decisions Research Panel of 40,000 members in Ireland, delivering robust research insights. The survey questions were included in the Nationally Representative iReach Consumer Decisions Omnibus run between the 7th of February and the 14th of February has a 3% Confidence Interval and 95% Confidence Level.

Questions asked of participants:

Do you use Apps that concern your health/ body/ fitness/ diet?

What kind of fitness/ health Apps do you use?

Do you think that any of these Apps help you to improve your health/ fitness/ eating behaviour etc.?

Do you use any health/ fitness/ activity tracking devices?

What kind of health/ fitness tracking devices do you use?

Which brand(s) is/ are your device(s)? 

Do you think that these devices have any positive effect on your (health-fitness-activity) behaviour/ habits?
How likely would you be to recommend your health/ fitness/ activity tracking device to a friend?

iReach Insights Limited – Temple Hall, Temple Road, Blackrock, CO. Dublin, IRELAND.

iReach Managing Director: Oisin Byrne
T: 01-214 3740 or email: PR@ireachhq.com