Big data is sinking its claws into almost every industry, creating a deeper understanding of how individuals behave and encouraging innovation in spheres we never considered possible. The fitness industry is just one example of how big data can transform and create boundless possibilities for both individuals and businesses.
With information constantly being collected and uploaded to the cloud through wearable technology and fitness apps and websites, we've never had so much insight into the inner workings and actions of both individuals and industries. Fitness data is one of the biggest streams of information being amassed in this world today, so how is it transforming the industry?
Fitness and food tracking
Most of the data collected around the fitness industry come from wearable technology, specifically, fitness trackers. Devices like the Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, and Nike Fuel are collecting personalized biometric fitness data and giving people direct access to their own health statistics. Fitness trackers can measure everything from caloric intake, heart rate, blood pressure, sleeping patterns, and blood oxygen levels to body weight, perspiration, and BMI.
They're not only in use when exercising, either. Fitness trackers are running constantly and collecting personalized data from hundreds of millions of people. Data from fitness trackers is said to be the “single biggest source of continuous daily individual data ever created, and growing exponentially every day”. So if there's ever an industry that big data has had an impact on, we'd say it's fitness.
Coupled with the fitness tracker trend is the popularity of food tracking apps like MyFitnessPal. As more people look into collecting and analyzing their personal health data, more are inputting the foods they eat into food tracking apps. This is providing a goldmine of data on food trends and the eating habits of those who are interested in health and fitness.
The world's biggest health study
All of this data being collected by fitness and food trackers isn't just confined between the person and their device. It's being gathered in the cloud, collected, refined, aggregated, and analyzed, in what Scientific American has called the world's biggest health study . As the magazine puts it, terabytes of personal health data [are] amassed daily in stunning quantities . So where is this data going and how is it being used?
Fitness data and healthcare
A lot of the data collected by fitness trackers is now going towards developing the healthcare industry. Health & fitness are two interrelated industries that are often merging, and big data is concreting the relationship between the two. All of this data on people's lifestyles, health habits, fitness, and diets is helping provide a wealth of information to researchers and medical authorities.
Rather than relying on surveys, health professionals can have access to fitness big data and real-time health monitoring. This is paving the way in creating an understanding of which factors influence disease and health issues. Lifestyle often plays a big role in disease onset, and fitness big data is helping to clear up exactly how and what may cause illness.
On a smaller scale, having the personalized results of fitness trackers on hand means that people are better able to present doctors with precise and accurate information on their health habits. Where it may be necessary to track heart rate, blood pressure, and food habits over time, people are given easy access to a clear record rather than left to guess. In the first stages of the disease, this information can be extremely valuable.
Big data and gyms
Besides wearable technology and food & nutrition apps, big data in the fitness industry is being collected by gyms themselves. This is creating a wealth of opportunity for gym owners to grow and scale their gyms by providing real-time information on how and when their gyms are used. Almost all gyms use a ‘card swipe' check-in system that members must use when entering and exiting. The data collected by these systems can help gym owners to learn more about their members, including:
- How often they work out,
- What times of day they prefer to work out, and
- How long they work out.
If this data is collected and analyzed, it can offer a world of opportunity for gyms in increasing their offering. By knowing how often individual members attend the gym, owners can segment their customer base and create different advertising campaigns that are more targeted.
For example, those who attend less can be offered +1s to encourage visits, while those who come more often could be sold supplements. Knowing the time of day can also inspire gyms to offer things like morning shakes or protein bars (if the morning is more popular), or natural sleeping aids if the evening is the busiest period.
Big data means big opportunity
With all of the personalized data being collected about fitness habits, nutrition, lifestyle, and health, the fitness industry is on the edge of a real transformation. Wearable technology and tracking apps have already made a profound impact by encouraging people to take accountability for their actions, look deeper into their health habits, and embrace a fitter lifestyle.
The data collected by these apps offer a profound opportunity for the fitness and healthcare industries to better understand influences on illness, food trends, how bodies react to different inputs, and how people behave in their day-to-day life. The potentials for this information is boundless, and the world is still working to unravel it all. Watch this space, because big data is going to be the driving force that transforms the fitness industry into a hyper-personalized business that merges exercise and healthcare.
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