Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants Americans to start adopting health-tracking devices. Kennedy told the House of Representatives this week that the health agency is planning "one of the biggest advertising campaigns" in its history to encourage Americans to use the wearables.
Also: 4 health trackers I'd recommend to anyone (and why they make such a big difference)
"My vision is that every American is wearing a wearable within four years," Kennedy said. He added that the wearable health technology is a key pillar to the "Making America Healthy Again" agenda.
Health wearables include devices like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), smartwatches, smart rings, and fitness bands. CGMs monitor a person's glucose levels throughout the day, detecting spikes and providing recommendations on what foods to eat and avoid. Trackers like smartwatches, smart rings, and fitness bands typically monitor a person's vitals, including their heart rate, wrist or finger temperature, heart rate variability, sleep, and more.
These devices gather and collect a user's health data and include features that could notify users of injury or undiagnosed conditions.
While the goal of these devices is to track, spot, and potentially prevent illness or strain, it's unclear whether Kennedy and Trump's surgeon general nominee Casey Means (who co-founded the CGM brand Levels) have an ulterior motive in selling wearables like glucose trackers.
Glucose management tools like CGMs, which cost around $50 to $90 for a month's worth of OTC trackers, are one way to monitor or improve diet at a more affordable cost than some of the buzzier prescription options, like Ozempic. "You know [Ozempic] is costing $1,300 a month; if you can achieve the same thing with an $80 wearable, it's a lot better for the American people," Kennedy said.
Also: I took these four sleep trackers to bed. Here's which one I recommend most
If the campaign for widespread adoption of wearables succeeds, the impacts could be fundamental to this new era of tech-infused healthcare. Here's how this adoption could impact you.
... continue reading