Most accurate Blood pressure Monitors Consumer Reports

Trackers provide insight about habits and health, but using one might also help you shed a few pounds. Neil Busis, M.D., a Pittsburgh neurologist who lost 40 pounds in less than a year after undergoing heart-bypass surgery, credits a “personal health network” that includes an activity tracker, a calorie-counting app, a scale that interacts with the tracker, and a blood pressure monitor.

We measured how accurate six trackers were at counting steps and calories, checked how easy each was to use, and assessed their features. For our step-count test, four men and four women wore the trackers as they walked on a treadmill, used an elliptical exerciser, went up and down stairs, and picked up toys. We compared each device’s step count against the actual counts we had recorded.

For our calorie-count test, the panelists used a treadmill and an elliptical exerciser while wearing the trackers. Then an instrument measured the actual calories panelists burned. We compared tracker counts with actual counts.

Bottom line.  A basic pedo­meter tracks daily steps, but for more versatility, consider the Fitbit One, Nike+ FuelBand, or Up by Jawbone. There’s a learning curve with activity trackers, but most offer instructions online.