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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
A Method for Quantifying Upper Limb Performance in Daily Life Using Accelerometers
Published on: April 21, 2017
Comparisons of accelerometer and pedometer determined steps in free living samples
Timothy K Behrens1, Mary K Dinger
1Dept of Health Sciences, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to compare steps·d-1 between an accelerometer and pedometer in 2 free-living samples.
Methods:
Data from 2 separate studies were used for this secondary analysis (Sample 1: N = 99, Male: n = 28, 20.9 ± 1.4 yrs, BMI = 27.2 ± 5.0 kg·m-2, Female: n = 71, 20.9 ± 1.7 yrs, BMI = 22.7 ± 3.0 kg·m-2; Sample 2: N = 74, Male: n = 27, 38.0 ± 9.5 yrs, BMI = 25.7 ± 4.5 kg·m-2, Female: n = 47, 38.7 ± 10.1 yrs, BMI = 24.6 ± 4.0 kg·m-2). Both studies used identical procedures and analytical strategies.
Results:
The mean difference in steps·d-1 for the week was 1643.4 steps·d-1 in Study 1 and 2199.4 steps·d-1 in Study 2. There were strong correlations between accelerometer- and pedometer-determined steps·d-1 in Study 1 (r = .85, P < .01) and Study 2 (r = 0.87, P < .01). Bland-Altman plots indicated agreement without bias between steps recorded from the devices in Study 1 (r = -0.14, P < .17) and Study 2 (r = -0.09, P < .40). Correlations examining the difference between accelerometer-pedometer steps·d-1 and MVPA resulted in small, inverse correlations (range: r = -0.03 to -0.28).
Conclusions:
These results indicate agreement between accelerometer- and pedometer-determined steps·d-1; however, measurement bias may still exist because of known sensitivity thresholds between devices.
