Exploring the use of mobile and wearable technology among university student athletes in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Marco Bardus; Cecile Borgi; Marwa El-Harakeh; Tarek Gherbal; Samer Kharroubi; Elie Jacques Fares

doi:10.3390/s21134472

Exploring the use of mobile and wearable technology among university student athletes in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Marco Bardus, Cecile Borgi, Marwa El-Harakeh, Tarek Gherbal, Samer Kharroubi, Elie Jacques Fares^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Applied Health Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

97 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The markets of commercial wearables and health and fitness apps are constantly growing globally, especially among young adults and athletes, to track physical activity, energy expenditure and health. Despite their wide availability, evidence on use comes predominantly from the United States or Global North, with none targeting college student-athletes in low-and middle-income countries. This study was aimed to explore the use of these technologies among student-athletes at the American University of Beirut (AUB). We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 482 participants (average age 20 years) enrolled in 24 teams during Fall 2018; 230 students successfully completed the web-based survey, and 200 provided valid data. Fifty-three (26.5%) have owned a fitness tracker, mostly for self-monitoring. The most popular were Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin. Similarly, 82 students (40%) used apps, primarily MyFitnessPal, Apple Health, and Samsung Health. Nevertheless, many participants discontinued use due to loss of interest or technical issues (breaking, usability, obsolescence, or lack of engagement). Wearable devices were considered superior to mobile phones alone as physical activity monitors. However, forming regular habits made self-monitoring via technology irrelevant. Further research is needed to better understand what motivates continuous use among student-athletes, who could use trackers to improve athletic performance and overall health.

Original language	English
Article number	4472
Number of pages	17
Journal	Sensors
Volume	21
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/s21134472
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments: This project was supported by the University Sports department at the Charles W. Hostler Student Center and the Office of Student Affairs, and by the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, at the American University of Beirut. We would like to thank Talal Nizameddin, for his encouragements, moral support, facilitating communications with student-athletes, and approving the financial contribution to support the publication of this study. We also thank the Office of Students Affairs and the University for providing financial support for this publication. Additionally, we thank Fidele Al Masri for assisting in drafting some parts of the initial manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authorsLicensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

Athletes
Exercise
Fitness trackers
Students
Wearable electronic devices

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry
Information Systems
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Biochemistry
Instrumentation
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3390/s21134472Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

BardusM2021ExploringFinal published version, 526 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

Fitness Apps and Weight Management
Marco Bardus (Invited speaker)
24 Aug 2019
Activity: Academic and Industrial events › Guest lecture or Invited talk

Cite this

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abstract = "The markets of commercial wearables and health and fitness apps are constantly growing globally, especially among young adults and athletes, to track physical activity, energy expenditure and health. Despite their wide availability, evidence on use comes predominantly from the United States or Global North, with none targeting college student-athletes in low-and middle-income countries. This study was aimed to explore the use of these technologies among student-athletes at the American University of Beirut (AUB). We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 482 participants (average age 20 years) enrolled in 24 teams during Fall 2018; 230 students successfully completed the web-based survey, and 200 provided valid data. Fifty-three (26.5%) have owned a fitness tracker, mostly for self-monitoring. The most popular were Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin. Similarly, 82 students (40%) used apps, primarily MyFitnessPal, Apple Health, and Samsung Health. Nevertheless, many participants discontinued use due to loss of interest or technical issues (breaking, usability, obsolescence, or lack of engagement). Wearable devices were considered superior to mobile phones alone as physical activity monitors. However, forming regular habits made self-monitoring via technology irrelevant. Further research is needed to better understand what motivates continuous use among student-athletes, who could use trackers to improve athletic performance and overall health.",

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Exploring the use of mobile and wearable technology among university student athletes in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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Fitness Apps and Weight Management

Cite this