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Consumer Electronics Association Forms Health and Fitness Technology Division

Consumer Electronics Association Forms Health and Fitness Technology Division images: CEA 

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has announced the newly formed Health and Fitness Technology Division.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has formed a Health and Fitness Technology Division to support the growing role technology and consumer electronics play in increasing users’ activity levels and improving their fitness and health.

The Division was originally formed as the Health and Fitness Technology Working Group in 2010, and has made several significant contributions to the consumer electronics industry in the last few years. Last year, the group was one of the sponsors of the Mobile Medical Apps (MMA) Roadshow, an educational program series aiming to help app developers understand FDA requirements and identify best practices in the field. The CEA also reached 4.3 million consumers directly with a satellite media tour to promote fitness and health technology products and recommend solutions to improve health and fitness in the New Year.

Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO, said, "Technology innovations now offer unprecedented opportunities for consumers to take control of their health and engage in their personal fitness. Under CEA’s leadership, the Health and Fitness Division brings together a group of proven leaders in the space to further raise awareness that these products can help us change our lives for the better."

The CEA has released a report, "The Connected Health and Wellness Market," in collaboration with Parks Associates, which forecasts a 142 percent growth over the next five years in the sales of personal health and wellness products, as well as software and service revenues. Another CEA report, "Understanding the Market for Wearable Health and Fitness Devices," reveals that consumer interest in buying wearable fitness devices within the 12 month period quadrupled in 2013. This is the largest year-over-year growth for any type of fitness device.

The 2014 International CES has also confirmed the growing interest in these products, with the digital health technology presence increasing by 40 percent and digital fitness presence seeing a 30 percent increase at this year’s show.

The newly formed CEA Health and Fitness Technology Division Board will conduct market research, provide CEA members with networking and educational opportunities, and reach out to consumers to educate them about fitness technologies, apps and services.

Woody Scal, Health and Fitness Technology Division Chairman and chief revenue officer at Fitbit, said, "We live in extraordinary times, where consumers are taking more responsibility for their health and fitness. New technologies are playing a key role, transforming health care and empowering people to reach their fitness goals as never before. I’m excited to help establish a truly impressive board to help move that transformation forward."

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