Lawsuit: Fitness Tracker Results Are Bogus, Endangering Consumers

One of the most popular brands of fitness trackers has found itself in the middle of a class-action lawsuit over claims their heart rate monitor is not producing accurate results, reported FoxNews.com.

The lawsuits claim that the heart rate monitors on Fitbit's “Charge HR” and “Surge" are reporting readings that are lower than the wearer's actual heart rate, and that it could potentially put a consumer in danger, according to the report.

"According to the lawsuit, a board-certified cardiologist compared the Fitbit's heart rate readings with those of an electrocardiogram (ECG) and reportedly found that, for heart rates above 110 bpm, the devices were incorrect by an average of 25 bpms, with some off by as much as 75 bpm, Ars Technica reported," FoxNew.com reported.

Fitbit does not believe the case has any merit.

"Fitbit stands behind our heart rate technology and strongly disagrees with the statements made in the complaint and plans to vigorously defend the lawsuit," said a spokesperson in a statement to Healthcare Packaging. "Fitbit is committed to making the best clip and wrist-based activity trackers on the market. Our team has performed and continues to perform internal studies to validate our products’ performance.

PurePulse provides better overall heart rate tracking than cardio machines at the gym, as it tracks your heart rate continuously -- even while you’re not at the gym or working out. But it’s also important to note that Fitbit trackers are designed to provide meaningful data to our users to help them reach their health and fitness goals, and are not intended to be scientific or medical devices."