New Clinical Research Study on Wearable-Guided Obesity Care

Oura is conducting a new IRB-approved clinical study, SMART-BMI, to evaluate whether data collected from wearable devices can help researchers better understand the physiological changes associated with obesity treatments among individuals undergoing bariatric surgery or initiating GLP-1 therapy. The study will utilize UC San Diego Health’s expertise in bariatric surgery, obesity medicine and clinical research combined with Oura’s wearable technology to capture longitudinal biometric and symptom data between care visits.

UC San Diego Health will be the study site.

Why This Study Matters

Obesity affects more than 40% of U.S. adults. Bariatric surgery and GLP-1 receptor agonists are two of the most effective tools available for treating obesity today, but outcomes from these treatments vary widely from person to person. Care teams typically see obesity medicine patients only at scheduled visits, yet meaningful physiological changes unfold in the weeks between visits. Oura Ring's continuous biometric data brings those changes into view, giving a more complete picture of the patient's journey and paving the way for more personalized obesity care.

About the SMART-BMI Trial

SMART-BMI is a multi-year clinical study, funded by Oura and facilitated by the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation (JCHI) at UC San Diego Health, that will evaluate whether continuous biometric data can improve outcomes for people undergoing bariatric surgery or GLP-1 therapy and will begin enrollment in September 2026.

“Wearable devices generate an enormous amount of data, but many questions remain about how that information can best be used in health care. Through SMART-BMI, we hope to evaluate whether Oura Ring data can provide new insights into obesity treatment and support future research efforts,” said Jeff Reeves, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Surgeon at UC San Diego Health, and Principal Investigator of the study.

“This study will guide our approach to integrating wearable data across the health system,” shared Karandeep Singh, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Executive Director of JCHI, and chief health AI officer at UC San Diego Health.

Oura and Metabolic Health

Metabolic health is a key focus area for Oura. Earlier this year, Oura launched GLP-1 Insights, a medication-aware experience within the Oura App. Members taking GLP-1 medications can opt-in to use this new feature which includes dose tracking, side-effect logging, weight tracking, and a personalized insights layer to provide contextual information on how GLP-1s may affect personal health data. Oura Members can also learn more about their nutritional choices with the AI-powered Meals feature. Study participants will have access to all of Oura’s features.

“This research collaboration is an important opportunity to better understand how continuous biometric insights from Oura may support people undergoing obesity treatment. We’re proud that Oura Ring will be an integral part of the study and thrilled that SMART-BMI will add to the growing body of metabolic health research,” said Dr. Annie Tilton, Director of Clinical Outcomes Research at Oura.

Researchers involved in SMART-BMI hope the study will contribute to the scientific understanding of obesity treatment and the potential role of wearable-generated health data in future clinical research.

Related: What are GLP-1s?

Interested in Participating?

To learn more about eligibility and enrollment, visit this page for more information.