Wearable company Fitbit said yesterday that it scored a major deal with Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB) to supply fitness trackers and services to up to one million citizens of the city-state as part of the Live Healthy SG program set to begin in October.
Participants of the health program will receive the trackers free of charge on the condition that users will spend S$10 a month for one year on Fitbit’s new Premium service.
This is Fitbit’s first major integration of a digital health platform and wearables into a national public health program globally.
The Live Healthy SG initiative was uniquely designed for Singapore by Fitbit and the HPB to harness technology, behaviour insights and analytics to help citizens get healthier through meaningful and sustained behaviour change.
“We intend to work with industry innovators, such as Fitbit, on additional efforts to use technology to provide Singaporeans with personalised health advice and nudges, so that they can take control of their own health. Participants of this program will benefit from Fitbit’s plans to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to encourage physical activity, healthy eating and better sleep quality. The insights gathered can also help to enrich HPB’s health promotion programs,” said Zee Yoong Kang, CEO, HPB, in a statement.
Singapore is recognised globally for its efficient healthcare system – comprised of high-quality health services, world-class infrastructure and skilled healthcare talent. Over the years, however, it has seen the rise of chronic conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Live Healthy SG will leverage the full Fitbit ecosystem of wearable devices, software and services, including programs, guidance and individual 1:1 health coaching that will be offered through its new Premium service.
Participants will receive a dynamic and personalized experience, helping to motivate them to adopt healthier habits and achieve better outcomes in the areas of physical activity, sleep, nutrition and emotional well-being.
“Our partnership with the Singapore HPB is a recognition of our work to date, and we are confident that the powerful combination of our devices, software and services will motivate Singaporeans to improve their health, while also tangibly helping a nation to improve health at scale,” said James Park, cofounder and CEO of Fitbit. In the partnership, the HPB will leverage its outreach channels to support Fitbit in encouraging participation in its program.
Singaporeans will be able to pre-register for Live Healthy SG starting mid-September, and the program will officially go live in late October 2019.
