Fitness tracker boom fuels health anxiety and market growth worldwide

Wearable fitness trackers are increasingly embedded in daily life, with global sales projected to reach $62 billion in 2024, $72 billion in 2025 and $290 billion by 2032. The market, driven by companies such as Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Google, serves a growing user base: one in five Americans regularly uses health‑monitoring devices, a quarter of UK adults own a tracker, and Italy sold 2.4 million smartwatches in 2024.

While the devices can boost activity—studies show users add about six minutes of intense exercise and 1,800 steps per day—they also generate psychological strain. Continuous data monitoring can create performance anxiety, cognitive fatigue and a dependence on metrics, prompting some experts to advise periods without screens to restore mental well‑being. The phenomenon, now global, spans the United States, Italy, Japan, China and the United Kingdom, reflecting both commercial expansion and emerging health concerns.