University of California San Diego Health is partnering with wearable technology company Oura on a multiyear clinical study that will evaluate whether continuous biometric data from the Oura Ring can improve outcomes for patients undergoing bariatric surgery or starting GLP-1 therapy.
The study, called SMART-BMI, is funded by Oura and facilitated by UC San Diego Health’s Joan & Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation, according to an Oct. 28 announcement from Oura. UC San Diego Health will serve as the study site.
Researchers will use the Oura Ring to collect biometric and symptom data from participants between care visits. The goal is to better understand the physiological changes associated with bariatric surgery and GLP-1 treatment.
Care teams typically see obesity medicine patients only at scheduled appointments, though meaningful physiological changes can occur in the weeks between visits, according to the announcement. Outcomes from bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications also vary widely from patient to patient.
“This study will guide our approach to integrating wearable data across the health system,” Karandeep Singh, MD, chief health AI officer at UC San Diego Health and executive director of the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation, said in the announcement.
Metabolic health is a key focus area for Oura. Earlier this year, the company launched GLP-1 Insights, an app feature that lets users taking GLP-1 medications track doses, log side effects and weight, and see how the drugs may affect their health data.
Study participants will have access to all of Oura’s features, including its AI-powered Meals feature, which helps users learn about their nutritional choices.
Researchers hope the study will add to the scientific understanding of obesity treatment and the potential role of wearable-generated health data in future clinical research. Oura notes that its ring is not a medical device.
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