Fitbit Getting Sued

I was a Fitbit supporter for years. But my test results were similar to the doctor in the study. I was just comparing the Charge HR and Surge to a Polar HRM. So for me it wasn't useful.

The doctor reportedly found that for heart rates above 110 bpm, the Fitbits were off by an average of 25 bpms, with some readings wrong by as much as 75 bpm.

WalkingAlong wrote: »

I was a Fitbit supporter for years. But my test results were similar to the doctor in the study. I was just comparing the Charge HR and Surge to a Polar HRM. So for me it wasn't useful.

The doctor reportedly found that for heart rates above 110 bpm, the Fitbits were off by an average of 25 bpms, with some readings wrong by as much as 75 bpm.

There is a lot of meaningful data other then heart rate, steps, distance traveled, TDEE, as well as tracking how much you have consumed are all things the fitbit app/monitor does for you. Mine seems to be pretty accurate, non hr charge, I use it to decide how many calories to eat in a day, without all of the information it provides maintenance weight would be a dang nightmare, Id be stuck in constant over/under eating cycles.

LHWhite903 wrote: »

I have a classmate who wants one of those for herself and for her mother. I wish I had her e-mail to send her this information.

Well I guess all information is good, but the very vast majority of people who use the fitbit find the information it gives them to be reasonably accurate and handy.

jeepinshawn wrote: »

LHWhite903 wrote: »

I have a classmate who wants one of those for herself and for her mother. I wish I had her e-mail to send her this information.

Well I guess all information is good, but the very vast majority of people who use the fitbit find the information it gives them to be reasonably accurate and handy.

The thing is people should do their own independent research before choosing any activity or heart rate monitor. I use both depending on what I am doing. But I certainly wouldn't depend on either one if I wanted 100% accurate numbers. I would worry if my heart rate was 25-75 bpm off though and I wasn't aware of it during a hard core bike ride where I was really pushing it because I wouldn't want to pass out on the bike path or on the road.

I wish the Fitbit Charge HR manual came with the package. I learned some things about the heart rate after I found the Charge HR 101 pdf. The device should fit loosely on the wrist about an inch from the wrist toward the elbow. When exercising, it's recommended to move the device 2 inches from the wrist. It's also recommended to keep the device dry and not wear it in the shower. For someone with a large wrist like my buddy, he should get the XL version. Unfortunately, the XL version is only available through the Fitbit website.

So . . . four people have filed complaints (that includes the suit from the man over sleep monitoring).

And how many millions of Fitbits have been sold?

I don't think I'd be jumping just yet to assume the claims have any merit.

Pawsforme wrote: »

So . . . four people have filed complaints (that includes the suit from the man over sleep monitoring).

And how many millions of Fitbits have been sold?

I don't think I'd be jumping just yet to assume the claims have any merit.

It's become newsworthy because it came on the same day as the product launch of a fairly mediocre device that's left industry commentators a bit baffled about strategic direction, along with being one party in a case raised over technology licensing for the optical sensor setup.

FitBit stock lost nearly 25% value over two days.

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

Pawsforme wrote: »

So . . . four people have filed complaints (that includes the suit from the man over sleep monitoring).

And how many millions of Fitbits have been sold?

I don't think I'd be jumping just yet to assume the claims have any merit.

It's become newsworthy because it came on the same day as the product launch of a fairly mediocre device that's left industry commentators a bit baffled about strategic direction, along with being one party in a case raised over technology licensing for the optical sensor setup.

FitBit stock lost nearly 25% value over two days.

Unfortunately, lots of stocks lost a lot of value last week. Ouch to our retirement accounts!!

The lawsuit is a joke. Aside from using common sense, like people in this thread have mentioned, the people filing complaints here are outliers when it comes to using the products. I wonder if any of the users complaining wore theirs too tight, too loose, or didn't follow directions on where the device should be between walking and exercising. I know that all HRM devices are estimations, but I've never found my Charge HR to be that inaccurate.

Sometimes when I'm doing compound lifts, I am breathing heavily and I can feel my heart beating rapidly, but my Charge HR has a readout of 85bpm, which quickly shoots up to 130bpm after I finish my reps and stand still. Was the HR off during my lifts? Yep. Do I care that I will most likely have an underestimated calorie burn for my lifting session? Nope. Why? Because the Charge HR even says it's best for steady state cardio. It wasn't really meant to be used when doing strength training so I just use my Charge HR as a guideline for those days. If I notice I'm hungry, I eat a little more than Fitbit says I can. It hasn't caused me any issues with regard to my health or my goals thus far.

I love technology and I feel the Fitbit has been an integral part of my weight loss/fitness journey, but people also need to listen to their bodies and use instincts instead of depending heavily on a fitness device. As another poster said, what did people do before devices like Fitbit? Sure it makes everything somewhat easier, but there is no need for a lawsuit if it doesn't work the way some people expect it to.

realityfades wrote: »

1princesswarrior wrote: »

jeepinshawn wrote: »

LHWhite903 wrote: »

I have a classmate who wants one of those for herself and for her mother. I wish I had her e-mail to send her this information.

Well I guess all information is good, but the very vast majority of people who use the fitbit find the information it gives them to be reasonably accurate and handy.

The thing is people should do their own independent research before choosing any activity or heart rate monitor. I use both depending on what I am doing. But I certainly wouldn't depend on either one if I wanted 100% accurate numbers. I would worry if my heart rate was 25-75 bpm off though and I wasn't aware of it during a hard core bike ride where I was really pushing it because I wouldn't want to pass out on the bike path or on the road.

You won't pass out without warning, though. My friend regularly faints due to low blood pressure and she can always feel it coming. If you're pushing yourself that hard and start to feel symptoms, you NEED to stop and get to the ground before something worse happens.

Seconding this. I have fainted due to low blood pressure (standing up too fast after squatting down for more than a minute can do it) and I can definitely tell if I'm about to pass out. I can only speak for myself, but when it happens, my field of vision gradually shrinks to nothing, my ears start ringing/droning and my balance goes haywire. It's not like flicking a light switch. And yes, if you start feeling even slightly weak/faint during exercise, then STOP immediately, no matter what your HRM says.