Cross-sectional Analysis of Health Behavior Tracking, Perceived Health, Fitness, and Health Literacy Among Active-Duty Air Force Personnel

Abstract

There is a paucity of evidence connecting health literacy, perceived wellness, self-reported fitness activity, or military readiness to wearable devices. Moreover, we do not currently know the prevalence and impact of health tracker device use in the active-duty Air Force population. This prospective cross-sectional survey assessed self-reported fitness activity, health-related quality of life, health literacy, and health behavior tracking practices and preferences among active-duty Air Force service members. Four hundred twenty-eight respondents completed an online survey, with 247 selecting tracking a health behavior and 181 selecting that they did not track a health behavior. Demographic characteristics of the sample showed no significant differences in age, sex distribution, or mode of service. We found that there were no significant differences in self-reported aerobic and strength training frequency, health literacy, or health-related quality of life. More than half of nontracking respondents either had not considered or had no interest in tracking health behaviors. Nearly three-quarters of tracking respondents tracked more than one health behavior. Further research could explore the extent to which these technologies improve fitness, health outcomes, and overall readiness in the military, involving longitudinal studies tracking fitness improvements and health outcomes among service members using wearable devices.