Artificial intelligence is giving the fitness category a workout.Ranging from personalized workout routines to dedicated app-based workouts and even one-on-one virtual training sessions, the pattern recognition and predictive analytics capabilities of the technology are proving to be a good match for consumers of different demographics. In a litmus test for exactly how big a factor AI will be in this market, it is even being integrated into the trendiest workout of all: pickleball.That’s right. A news source, training site and pickleball community called PB Vision AI is encouraging its audience to employ AI when recording their games, analyzing their swing and even selecting a racket.The backbone of PB Vision is its algorithm, which employs machine learning and computer vision to analyze videos of pickleball matches. It assesses various aspects of player performance, including shot accuracy, types of shots, player movement and error rates.This analysis is then transformed into data models, offering what the company says is unprecedented insight into a player’s performance, including heatmaps showing shot placements and analysis of player movement patterns.More Than a GimmickWhile it may seem to be a novelty at this point — especially when considered next to such a fitness fad as pickleball — AI-driven fitness is a serious business. It has had the biggest impact on the fitness app market. According to a forecast from Allied Market Research, the market is set to reach $120.37 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 24.3%

BALTIMORE, Sept. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Medifast (NYSE: MED), the health and wellness company known for its habit-based and Coach-guided lifestyle solution OPTAVIA®, today announced its OPTAVIA ACTIVE line is now available to Customers, following a successful pre-launch to independent OPTAVIA Coaches in July 2023. The line, exclusively available on OPTAVIA.com when you sign up to connect with an OPTAVIA Coach, includes OPTAVIA ACTIVE Essential Amino Acid (EAA) Blend and OPTAVIA ACTIVE Whey Protein, with additional products expected to be rolled out next year.OPTAVIA ACTIVE EAAs are a clinically studied and effective blend of eight essential amino acids, including an impressive 3.5 grams of leucine per serving and a 4:1:1 ratio of branched chain amino acids OPTAVIA ACTIVE Whey Protein is a source of high-quality protein that supports muscle growth and post-workout recoveryThe new line encourages the Habit of Healthy Motion, a key component of any health and wellness journey, and is scientifically designed to support muscle health. Research suggests that people lose between 3-8% of their muscle mass every decade after the age of 30, a process that accelerates past the age of 601. Led by the company's team of researchers, food scientists, nutritionists and other scientific experts, OPTAVIA ACTIVE Essential Amino Acid (EAA) Blend and OPTAVIA ACTIVE Whey Protein are designed to address age-related muscle mass decline and support overall muscle health."OPTAVIA ACTIVE was born out of a desire from our Community for more effective options supporting an active lifestyle than those currently offered in the marketplace," said Dan Chard, Chairman and CEO of Medifast. "With our strong scientific and clinical heritage, OPTAVIA takes a comprehensive approach, beginning with products that are powerful tools to support a health and wellness journey

In the past few decades, technological advancements in healthcare services have taken a giant leap forward in nations worldwide, from wearable devices that help healthcare professionals personalize treatments to novel telehealthcare innovations that ease the communication and interactions between patients and their doctors across borders. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, which still shapes our new world, digital health tech companies have been developing innovative, ultra-modern platforms that solve today’s health issues, critically weight-related diseases.Despite the recent slump in VC funding in digital health, reports in the U.S. show that a considerable amount – over $3.4 billion raised in Q1 2023 across 132 deals – made its way into developing the future of digital health. Unsurprisingly, this funding has crept into the U.S. fitness industry, with companies increasingly looking for solutions that motivate people to exercise more to prevent the risk of sedentary diseases such as diabetes Type 2, cardiovascular diseases, and, critically, curb obesity rates in the country.The U.S. remains plagued with the issue of obesity, ranking 14th in the world in the rate of obesity among adult males (36.47%) and 30th among adult females (38.16%)