BodyMedia® Syncs with SparkPeople® to Support Weight Loss Goals

PITTSBURGH and CINCINNATI, Jan. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Staying on track with fitness and weight loss goals in the new year just got easier  with an integration enabling members of SparkPeople.com, the nation's largest diet and fitness community, to automatically sync exercise and calorie burn data from their  BodyMedia FIT armbands to their free SparkPeople personal fitness tracker.  The integration not only automates data entry into SparkPeople for BodyMedia wearers but also leverages BodyMedia's physiological measurements of all activities – from washing dishes to pumping iron – to ensure a comprehensive count of calorie burn.

The BodyMedia FIT armband automatically calculates the number of steps taken, hours slept, minutes of exercise and calories burned, utilizing information from four embedded sensors that collect more than 5,000 physiological data points per minute. The initial integration, available immediately, automatically exports this information to the user's personal SparkPeople fitness tracker to save time and ensure data logging even on busy days.  In the future, calorie consumption logged through the companion SparkPeople food tracker will be automatically synced with the BodyMedia app to enable BodyMedia users to access the information from both sources.

BodyMedia technology has been clinically proven to increase weight loss up to three times compared to behavioral support alone (data on file) by quantifying users' exercise effort and associated calorie burn to provide accountability.

SparkPeople's unique blend of advanced tools, entertaining content and one of the most positive communities of its kind on the web has attracted more than 14 million members in 100+ countries.  Every day, members engage in healthy activities: losing weight, eating healthy, reaching fitness goals, and transforming their lives as well as their bodies.

"Anyone on a weight loss/wellness journey today has multiple technology tools at his or her disposal to support the effort. Bringing an individual's tools of choice together makes it faster and easier to access the information needed to stay on track," said Christine Robins, BodyMedia CEO. "For consumers who use our armbands as well as SparkPeople's community tools, this integration reduces manual data entry, makes it possible to check key data without continually opening both apps, and simplifies the process of seeing what you're doing right – or wrong – in your eating and fitness behaviors."    

"The BodyMedia FIT armband is a great way to track all activities throughout the day to make sure you get the most out of every effort—from a 30-minute run to simply taking the stairs at the office," said Chris Downie, founder and CEO of SparkPeople. "Combining BodyMedia data with our food and calorie tracker tools can help people stay motivated and keep on track with their weight loss or healthy living goals."

BodyMedia armbands are available online at www.bodymedia.com/shop and, for a limited time, come with a free workout DVD from The Biggest Loser with every purchase. SparkPeople membership is free; to sign up now, go to www.sparkpeople.com.

About BodyMedia, Inc.
BodyMedia pioneered the development of wearable body monitors that collect physiological data for use in improving health, wellness and fitness. Founded in 1999, the company today provides a variety of around-the-clock on-body monitors utilizing proprietary technology that has been clinically validated for accuracy. Data captured by BodyMedia devices is used by consumers as well as health and wellness professionals to guide behavioral changes to control weight and promote an active lifestyle – two factors that are routinely cited as keys to combat and manage serious medical conditions. BodyMedia has amassed one of the largest databases of information about the human body, and the technology has been used in more than 100 clinical research studies covering health issues such as obesity, COPD, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer, bariatrics, sleep and intensive care. BodyMedia is privately held and based in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, visit www.bodymedia.com.

About SparkPeople.com
Headquartered in Cincinnati, SparkPeople.com is a multi-platform media and technology company with leading health, fitness and food websites and mobile applications. Its mission is to spark millions of people to lead healthier lives and reach their goals. SparkPeople is employee-owned, with one outside minority investor, AOL Founder Steve Case. With over 14 million members in more than 100 countries, SparkPeople's websites, which are free, include SparkPeople.com, SparkRecipes.com, BabyFit.com, dailySpark.com, SparkSavings.com and SparkTeens.com, and offer a full suite of state-of-the-art tools, entertaining content and a supportive community. SparkPeople provides mobile applications for diet and fitness tracking as well as healthy recipes for the iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry platforms. According to comScore, SparkPeople attracts more unique monthly visitors than any other diet and fitness website.

SOURCE BodyMedia, Inc.