Comparison of Fitness Tracking Using Three Different Smartwatches during Free Activities in Daily Life

Background: Young women of reproductive age experience various physiological changes, which they measure and track using various devices, including fitness trackers and smartwatches. However, fitness tracking assessment methods are ambiguous because they may differ from model to model. Objective: This study aimed to compare the stress level, heart rate, sleep time, number of steps, and distance traveled, which were calculated using fitness tracking methods for daily-life free activity installed in various smartwatches. Materials and Methodology: Healthy women in their 20s to 30s were recruited for this study, which was conducted from December 2021 to June 2022. The finalized participants wore three different smartwatch models (Mi smartband 6, vivosmart®4, and Band 6) simultaneously on their person for 48 hours and performed their daily activities and recorded them on an hour-based activity chart. Each smartwatch’s measured data (e.g., age, height, weight, and oral medications) were extracted into five datasets: heart rate, stress level, number of steps, distance, and sleep time. Data analyses were conducted using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ (for comparing heart rates) and Bland-Altman plots (for assessing heart rate agreement). The smartwatches’ fitness trackers were compared using the mean absolute percentage error. Results: The correlation coefficient showed that vivosmart®4 and Band 6 had a higher heart rate agreement (ρ = 0.684). The Bland-Altman plots showed high agreement between Band 6, Mi smartband 6, and vivosmart®4. The heart rate measurement method used under free movement was found to be consistent. The examined smartwatches were able to measure heart rate at the same level even under daily-life free movements. Conclusion: Several different smartwatches’ calculated measured values for heart rate had a high agreement. The smartwatches provided accurate heart rate measurements under daily-life free movement conditions. Furthermore, the calculation methods for stress level were found to differ in the fitness tracking of all the smartwatches. .

Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention for Postpartum Depression in a Pre-Parent Classroom

The global incidence of postpartum depression is estimated at approximately 10% - 20%. A lack of partner support is a key factor associated with perinatal depression. This study examined the effects of an educational intervention that provided information for the prevention and early detection of postpartum depression to first-time mothers and fathers who participated in a “First-Time Parent Class.” The study was utilized quasi-experimental research, conducted first with the control group and followed by an assessment of the intervention group. Mothers were assessed using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and the Japan Child and Family Research Institute Child-Rearing Support Questionnaire. Fathers’ assessments were conducted using the Japan Child and Family Research Institute Child-Rearing Support Questionnaire for Fathers and were based on responses to questions regarding their coping strategies. Data were obtained from 158 data (72 interventions, 86 controls) couples analyzed. No significant difference was found between mothers’ child-rearing difficulty and depression score rates in the first month after childbirth. There was a difference among fathers in the control group and those in the intervention group regarding their responses to maternal depression: the “consult family” (p = 0.035), “consult friends” (p = 0.033), and “consult the city health center” (p = 0.047) variables were higher in the intervention group;however, the effect size was small. Providing first-time parents with information during pregnancy to prevent and detect postpartum depression will deepen parents’ understanding and help them cope with postpartum depression.