NIH Is Handing out 10,000 Fitbits To Track People's Health
Bebeto Matthews/AP File Photo
It's a part of the updated precision medicine program.
The National Institutes of Health's precision medicine initiative—an effort to tailor medical treatments to a patient's individual genetics—is shifting direction.
Announced in 2015, the recently renamed All of Us program aims to collect years of health data from 1 million Americans to study how different lifestyles impact various health conditions. To do that, NIH is giving 10,000 participants Fitbit devices to track their basic health stats, including heart rates, sleep patterns and fitness levels, according to TechCrunch.
NIH chose Fitbit models over other fitness trackers because they hold a charge for several days and their compatibility with both major mobile operating systems. Participants will get to choose between two different FitBit models, the Charge 2 and the Alta HR.
"We will be able to give a real sample of energy levels, how people are sleeping, their walking—those type of things. We’re getting that information as people live their normal lives," Adam Pellegrini, Fitbit’s health solutions general manager told TechCrunch.
Learn more about the NIH's All of Us initiative in the video below:
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