Fitness technology helps keep young women motivated to exercise

A Deakin University study has found that fitness trackers or mobile fitness apps made exercise more enjoyable and the young women using them were more likely to remain active over the long term.

Kimberley Watson-Mackie, who completed the study as part of her PhD under the supervision of Professor Lisa Barnett, said it was common for young women to lose interest in exercise once they left school and no longer participated in team or group sports.

‘This study shows that technology can be a great way to increase young women’s physical activity,’ Ms Watson-Mackie said.

‘There is no single type of technology that suits all young women; what encourages one person’s physical activity may discourage others. But, when they found something that made exercise more enjoyable, they were more likely to stick with it over the long term.

‘Participants also reported using a mix of technology, such as combining a wearable fitness tracker and a mobile app, to create a more personalised experience.

‘Gaining a better understanding of the positive role that fitness tech can play as a motivating tool will help shape the development of future products.’

Ms Watson-Mackie’s research involved 14 women, aged between 20 and 28, who were interviewed about their physical activity habits.

‘Most participants had been using mobile fitness apps and social media content as part of their exercise routine since early high school and wearable fitness trackers from the age of 18,’ Ms Watson-Mackie said.

Despite the young women reporting overall positive experiences from these different forms of technology, they did have concerns around the quality of information they found online, especially from influencer and social media channels.

‘If young women were concerned about the accuracy of online information, they found it demotivating and the technology less fun,’ Ms Watson-Mackie said.

‘But using technology with friends or family could often address their concerns about the information they found online.  If they had someone to turn to for advice about the quality of information online, they were more confident in engaging in physical activity.

‘It is also interesting to note that none of the young women were using technology to build fitness. Their focus was to stay motivated and keep themselves engaged in physical activity,’ Ms Watson-Mackie said.

Deakin Media release, 28 April 2026