Introduction to smart wearables in active ageing

Physical activity (PA) has been found to be of great value for senior populations (Araullo & Potter, 2016; Vargemidis et al., 2020). PA can help seniors maintain and improve physical abilities and well-being, such as increased muscle strength, maintained flexibility, reduced risk of falling, and lower health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. It can also influence mental health and cognitive ability, and decrease the risk of depression, improving in general seniors’ quality of life, help them maintain a longer independent life, and reduce the load on public health systems (Araullo & Potter, 2016; Vargemidis et al., 2020; WHO, 2023).

Figure 1. World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for physical activity. Source: WHO recommendation for physical activity