Florida International University Study Reveals Fitness Trackers Overestimate Calorie Burn, Especially for Individuals with Higher Body Fat
A recent study conducted by Florida International University (FIU) has found that popular fitness trackers, including the Apple Watch Series 8, Fitbit Sense 2, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, and Garmin Forerunner 955, tend to overstate the number of calories individuals burn during exercise. The research, which compared data from these devices against clinical lab equipment, indicated that the inaccuracies were most pronounced in participants with higher body fat percentages. Lead author Jason Kostrna, an associate professor of kinesiology and exercise science, stated that the calorie burn numbers provided by these devices should not be treated as accurate, as discrepancies could lead to a calorie surplus when users believe they are in a deficit. The study involved 58 Hispanic adults who wore the fitness trackers simultaneously during 10-minute stationary bike workouts of varying intensity. Their data was then cross-referenced with measurements from a COSMED K5 metabolic analyzer, a device that accurately measure... 
