The Apple Health study concluded that there are health benefits to playing pickleball and tennis. However, the findings boiled down to what sport offers the most benefits to the players across different age groups.
PickleBall as a Healthy Activity
The report is derived from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, an initiative launched in 2019 with a focus on women's health. A new study suggests that the latest discovery tackled the inadequate sleep patterns for both genders.
The latest report delves into the analysis of more than 250,000 workout sessions, covering both tennis and pickleball. Pickleball workouts, on average, tended to be 9 minutes longer, with a total duration of 90 minutes.
Based on Apple Insider's report, the researchers noted that pickleball players exhibited an average of 143 heartbeats per minute whereas the tennis players had 152 beats per minute.
According to Calum MacRae, a cardiologist and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, who serves as the principal investigator of the Apple Heart and Movement Study, has something to say about the research.
"The Apple Heart and Movement Study offers us remarkable opportunities to follow participants' behavior changes and the consequences of these changes on health," he states.
Dr. MacRae also highlights the study's ability to explore emerging trends and assess the impact of physical activity on various aspects of health and wellness. This newfound perspective has been facilitated by Apple Watch data.
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Popularity of Pickleball
Apple Health accentuates the scale of the study, which boasts one of the largest datasets of pickleball activity ever collected on Apple Watch. It shows that the popularity of pickleball surpassed that of tennis workouts in July 2023. This surge in pickleball's appeal has been steadily rising since the study's commencement in 2001.
Furthermore, the research identifies a seasonal pattern in tennis workouts, in contrast to pickleball activities, which demonstrate consistent growth throughout the year.
Utah as Pickleball Hotspot
Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple's Vice President of Health, emphasizes the significance of scientific research in Apple's health initiatives. She states that understanding the mental and physical benefits of activities like pickleball and tennis for Apple Watch users is a vital aspect of their work.
The study points out that both tennis and pickleball workouts are favored among adults of all age groups. However, the researchers found that men were likely to be more active in these activities than their female counterparts. Additionally, the research also points out that the state with the highest recorded workouts per capita is Utah.
Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox praises the study's findings, highlighting that it underscores the state's enthusiasm for pickleball. He emphasizes that such research serves as a powerful reminder of the long-term health benefits derived from physical activity.
The Apple Heart and Movement Study won't be possible won't be possible without the participation of the Cupertino tech firm, the American Heart Association, and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
It should be noted that the researchers' aim for this study is to see the link between heart health and physical activity, which in this case is pickleball.
On top of that, the researchers asked more than 200,000 participants to partake in the experiment in the US. Of course, they asked for permission from the people regarding the use of their data for research.
