Wellness and technology, the quantified self movement

But yet people still feel a personal benefit, for focusing their exercise, or mitigating risks, or motivating themselves, such that they are prepared to measure and apply learning from the outcome of such measurements. Which is what the thread is about.

I had a very interesting chat with one of our business partners today. They are a large supplier of equipment and services into the NHS in the UK and other hospitals etc across Europe.

The CEO is very interested in getting into the marketplace of home supplied equipment - scales and other fitness/ wellness measurement devices. He can see a market for a complete service where they (via specialist partners) can record various different metrics over time.

The basic position is that they need people to tell them what they need and they will make it happen. He mentioned a couple of suppliers already in the market such as iHealth, which I haven't seen mentioned above.

I noted some the comments about existing suppliers all trying to own the market and all being a bit shit. This might the the right time and place for someone who is much more clued up on this than me to have a chat.

A friends just launched their new product

http://www.zepp.com/

Looks interesting. Tracking swing on golf/baseball/tennis ....

I'm also eagerly awaiting my Trace

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/activereplay/trace-the-most-advanced-activity-monitor-for-actio

http://venturebeat.com/2013/10/09/ibm-wants-to-use-big-data-to-predict-heart-disease-long-before-it-strikes/

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24538852

Pedometer app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.protogeo.moves

been using that for a while. works pretty well. can tell between walking/bus/car/cycling

Happy to report that the FDA has pulled the plug on 23andme.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25100878

Why? What's wrong with people getting their genes screened?

Pedometer app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.protogeo.moves

Been using this, seems to work quite well even with GPS off and can tell the difference between cycling and walking.

If I cycled as slow as I walked I'd be in a lot of trouble.

When filtering i'm probably going under 5kmph for some parts

Why? What's wrong with people getting their genes screened?

I haven't read fully into why the FDA is shutting it down yet, I'm sure I can give you a better answer in a couple of days when I've looked into it more fully.

Just telling someone they have a mutation without any additional context can be pretty damaging. It can cause worry and anxiety and the risk of developing a particular disease tends to depend on a lot of factors. Therefore, just giving people an isolated piece of information isn't necessarily helpful.

The article says they haven't justified their claims and don't have their margins for error specified. They make it pretty clear you might find out some unpleasant things. But knowledge is power - why wouldn't you want to act positively on some news of potential disease?

I haven't read fully into why the FDA is shutting it down yet, I'm sure I can give you a better answer in a couple of days when I've looked into it more fully.

Just telling someone they have a mutation without any additional context can be pretty damaging. It can cause worry and anxiety and the risk of developing a particular disease tends to depend on a lot of factors. Therefore, just giving people an isolated piece of information isn't necessarily helpful.

They mostly seem to have screwed the FDA around, which isn't wise. Basically ignoring requests to do certain (and by the look of it, very reasonable) things.

I really don't have a problem with 23andMe making a statement saying "you're 99% likely to have cancer" as this is a DNA analysis from saliva rather than a blood test.

It doesn't mean you have been diagnosed at all, it means that your genetic makeup has been analysed. And as the analysis is based on a constantly evolving understanding of the DNA genes that signify certain things, it is at best, "interesting".

Anyone who thinks a 23andMe test has diagnosed them is fairly dead in the head (that's a diagnosis). I'd say the user is at fault and not the service.

But... 23andMe were asked to do things by the FDA, and the FDA currently has regulatory power in this area, and 23andMe haven't done the things asked of it. And in that scenario who cares whether 23andMe are selling analysis or diagnosis... they screwed up and are going to get their arse kicked.

I wonder why the FDA have their noses in this though? I mean, they don't give two shits about all the dodgy substances sold as 'supplements' and yet they stick their noses into DNA profiling. Sounds like someone has a vested interest to me.

https://www.liveathos.com/

Was going to take part in that gene sequencing project , wasn't eligable though but would of been cool to see

I wonder why the FDA have their noses in this though? I mean, they don't give two shits about all the dodgy substances sold as 'supplements' and yet they stick their noses into DNA profiling. Sounds like someone has a vested interest to me.

It's their area of regulation. And they seldom enforce so long as companies make noises that they're listening to the FDA. The moment you treat the FDA as fools and ignore them is the moment the FDA go nuclear on you... and that's pretty much the description of what has happened with 23andMe.

I don't see this is as an anti-DNA testing thing. I see it is a "Don't fuck with the FDA and if we tell you to do something at least go pretend you're doing it.".

Has there been any more chat about soylent? Or was it a bit of a flash in the pan?

Last I heard it was found to be full of mould and rats.

http://pando.com/2013/11/12/vice-investigates-soylent-finds-rats-and-mold/

Hmm.. it was Vice though.

Yeah that was what google seemed to suggest too. Interesting that there are other variations - an orgainc/whole food version for instance

http://gigaom.com/2013/12/02/23andme-hit-with-class-action-over-misleading-genetic-ads/

I fucking hate the word "Wellness". Bloody marketing made up words. What's wrong with saying Wellbeing? Same goes for Mouthfeel. It's 'texture", you cunts.

Anyway. Anyone see this:
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/9/13/1379069218345/Infographic-about-the-ris-005.jpg

dca for cancer cure, anyone?