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September 17, 2025
Nils Behrens
Nils Behrens is a top health expert and host of the "Healthwise" podcast. The topic of his current column for Premium Medical Circle: Many trust the Apple Watch for calorie consumption. However, the values can be off by up to 90%—and thus be frustrating rather than beneficial. What this means for your health and longevity.
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The fascination was great: Finally a watch that apparently shows exactly how many calories are consumed daily. 3,200 kcal here, 3,600 kcal there – numbers that suggest everything is in the green zone. However, those who rely on this and eat accordingly often experience a surprise. Instead of a defined figure, a gain around the waist often follows.
This paradox shows: Smartwatches like the Apple Watch motivate, but they do not calculate like a nutritionist or a sports physician.
The enthusiasm for wearables has gained enormous momentum in recent years. Millions of people worldwide rely on the numbers that their wrist spits out daily. However, numerous studies show: The calorie counts should be taken with caution.
The result: Those who apply the displayed values one-to-one to their diet regularly eat more than they actually burn.
Nils Behrens, Chief Brand Officer of Sunday Natural and host of the podcast HEALTHWISE
Despite its limitations, don't underestimate the Apple Watch. Its potential lies less in exact calorie counts, but more in motivation and transparency.
For healthy longevity, it is not crucial whether a watch displays 2,800 or 3,500 calories. What matters is the long-term balance of exercise, nutrition, recovery, and mental stability.
The Apple Watch is a great tool if you categorize it correctly. It provides impulses, makes progress visible, and supports self-reflection. However, anyone who believes the calorie display is a precise basis for dietary calculations is mistaken.
Use the watch as a motivator, not as a dietary guide. For your longevity, this means relying on proven principles – exercise, balanced nutrition, recovery, and meaningfulness – and seeing the watch as a valuable companion, not as the sole authority.
Nils Behrens is the Chief Brand Officer of Sunday Natural and host of the podcast HEALTHWISE. The sought-after health expert also teaches as a lecturer at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences. Previously, Behrens worked for over 12 years as Chief Marketing Officer of the Lanserhof Group and host of the successful "Forever Young" podcast.
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