At ACE we have our philosophical orientations, but we back those up by sponsoring primary research. One of our core philosophies is that physical-activity interventions simply work better when they’re coupled with coaching to empower the individual to be his/her own agent for healthy change. Recently, an ACE-sponsored study provided us another point of evidence, particularly when it comes to youth.

The study found that when youth use step trackers, they are more likely to increase physical activity and weight loss when they are also working toward an individualized step goal. The physical activity intervention (the wearable device) was more effective when used as part of a behavior intervention. This research highlighted that it is not merely enough to provide a step tracker to a child and expect immediate changes. Instead, it showed that youth benefit when the device is contextualized within a goal and set of supports individualized to the child.

It’s yet another reason ACE so strongly believes that behavior-change facilitation is essential to opening the door to a more physically active way of life.