Activity trackers and apps may boost short-term step counts in older adults, but benefits fade

: To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions using activity trackers and smartphone applications (apps) for increasing physical activity (steps per day) in people aged ≥60 years. Intervention systematic review with meta-analysis. We searched 6 electronic databases (including EMBASE and MEDLINE) from inception to January 2025. We included randomized controlled trials that used activity trackers or smartphone apps to promote physical activity in people aged ≥60 years. Methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models, and certainty of the evidence was rated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) framework. We included 29 trials with 3005 participants. In the short term (data point closest to the end of the intervention), activity trackers and apps may increase physical activity by about 1113 steps per day compared to minimal intervention (95% CI: 669, 1557; 20 trials; low-certainty evidence). When compared to other active interventions, activity trackers and apps may increase physical activity by 912 steps per day (95% CI: 412, 1413; 8 trials; very low-certainty evidence). Single trials reported intermediate (6 months) and long-term (12 and 24 months) effects, and suggested no sustained benefits. Activity tracker and app-based interventions may cause short-term increases in physical activity among older adults, but effects were not sustained. .