Knowledge Is Power – Or Is It?

This past weekend, I went to a party and two friends (both named Brian) enthusiastically talked up their respective devices, a Garmin watch for one and a glucose monitor for the other.
“When I drink,” my Garmin watch-wearing friend (Brian 1) explained, “You should see what happens to my heart rate variability during the night – and how it disrupts my sleep. It’s crazy!” 

Note: Heart rate variability (HRV) is the variation in beat-to-beat intervals in heart rate. It's an important indicator of cardiac health and nervous system activity. Alcohol consumption can cause a decrease in HRV.

Then, he went on to say, WHILE HOLDING a glass of wine, “So, I’m drinking less!” (Really?)
Back to my glucose monitor-loving friend, Brian 2. “Look at this!” He pointed to a bump on his shoulder. “It’s my new glucose monitor device!”

“Now when I eat a cookie,” he described, “I can see my glucose levels spike! It’s really illuminating! I’ve told all my friends about it – and now they’re wearing one too!”
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But here’s the real question: Does the added knowledge, acquired through devices such as these, translate into a meaningful change in behaviors? 

Put another way:

• Will Brian 1 drink less? 
• And will Brian 2 eat fewer cookies?  

According to a year-long study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the answers are no, no, and no. And, according to a weight-loss study out of the University of Pittsburgh study, the answer is “Hell no!”

Here’s what the researchers found in the first study:

• 40% of participants stopped using the trackers within 6 months.
• By the end of the year, just 10% of participants were still wearing theirs. 
• And while that 10% were getting a small boost in steps (2 more minutes daily), this miniscule blip didn’t translate into any measurable improvements in health outcomes.

The results from the second study were even more disheartening. Participants who used wearables lost less weight than those who didn’t. 

So, back to Brian 1 and Brian 2. These two wonderful friends of mine (no fault of their own) are trotting out the age-old storyline: When I KNOW better (my glucose levels, my sleeping patterns, my steps), then I will DO better (eat better, drink less alcohol, get more exercise). 
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But evidence suggests otherwise. 

With few exceptions, we all KNOW better, but we have a really hard DOING better. Consider, for example, that less than 3% of Americans do the basics – eat healthy, are physically active, don’t smoke – as much as they know they should. (Mayo Clinic study.)

I call this the “knowing & doing gap.” And, that gap is powerful. So, back to the original question: “Knowledge Is Power – Or Is It?” 

For most of us, sadly, Knowledge Is NOT Power. And while it is tempting to blame the individual for lacking awareness, motivation, dedication, prioritization, or “self-efficacy,” perhaps it would be fair to say that we are witnessing a collective failure. And of course, a collective failure calls for a collective solution.

​So, let’s pause, become a little more curious, and ask the question: “Knowledge Is Power - Or Is It?” That would be a good first step in the right direction.

Right now, I am knee deep in leading the charge to bring collective action to address women’s heart health. As a Woman of Impact, I am asking others to join with me in supporting women’s heart health. Would you consider joining with me on this effort?

Join me

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Laura Putnam ​​​ 

​​Laura Putnam is a leading catalyst for wellbeing at work, an international public speaker, and author of Workplace Wellness That Works. As CEO of Motion Infusion and creator of the leadership training program Managers on the Move, she infuses wellbeing into the workplace to help employees, teams and organizations thrive. You can follow her on X @MotionInfusion.