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Using ecologic momentary assessment to measure physical activity during adolescence.

Genevieve F Dunton1, Carol K Whalen, Larry D Jamner

  • 1Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA. gdunton@uci.edu

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|October 26, 2005
PubMed
Summary

High-density electronic ecologic momentary assessment (EMA) accurately measures adolescent physical activity (PA). This method reveals detailed patterns and variability in PA, offering insights beyond traditional surveys.

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Area of Science:

  • Adolescent Health
  • Behavioral Science
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Adolescent physical activity (PA) is crucial for long-term health.
  • Traditional self-report methods often lack precision in capturing PA patterns.
  • Understanding within- and between-subject variability in PA is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To validate high-density electronic ecologic momentary assessment (EMA) for assessing adolescent physical activity.
  • To explore variability in adolescent PA patterns using EMA.
  • To compare objective activity indicators with EMA-reported PA.

Main Methods:

  • 526 adolescents (9th-12th grade) participated in EMA over 4 days, repeated every 6 months.
  • Participants reported primary activity every 30 minutes via handheld computer.

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  • Heart rate and activity counts were simultaneously recorded using monitors and accelerometers.

    • Main Results:

    • EMA-reported exercise and walking showed higher heart rates and activity counts than non-physical activities.
    • Exercise sessions were typically longer than walking sessions.
    • PA was more consistent across school years than within a monitoring week, with higher weekday activity.

    Conclusions:

    • EMA-reported physical activity aligns with objective measures.
    • EMA provides valuable data on within-person PA variability, surpassing traditional instruments.
    • EMA is a promising tool for studying adolescent PA, integrating physiological and contextual factors.