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Accelerometer response to physical activity intensity in normal-weight versus overweight African American children
Daniel Arvidsson1, Mark Fitch, Mark L Hudes
1Center for Primary Health Care Research, Institution for Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Sweden.
Insights
Accelerometers accurately measure physical activity intensity in children regardless of weight. However, step counts are only reliable at speeds above 2 km/h for certain devices.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical activity assessment
- Biomedical engineering
- Exercise physiology
Background:
- Movement efficiency can vary between normal-weight and overweight children, potentially impacting accelerometer data.
- Accurate measurement of physical activity is crucial for understanding child health and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of accelerometers in assessing physical activity intensity and step counts in normal-weight versus overweight children.
- To compare the performance of four different accelerometer devices (Lifecorder, ActiGraph, RT3, Biotrainer).
Main Methods:
- Eleven normal-weight and 14 overweight African American children walked on a treadmill at various speeds (2-6 km/h).
- Oxygen uptake (VO2) and steps were measured, with fat-free mass (FFM) assessed via bioelectrical impedance analysis.
- Accelerometer data were analyzed against VO2/FFM and manually counted steps.
Main Results:
- All tested accelerometers demonstrated high correlations (r ≥ .95) between counts and VO2/FFM, indicating good assessment of physical activity intensity.
- Accelerometer performance in assessing intensity did not significantly differ based on body weight status.
- Lifecorder and ActiGraph underestimated step counts at speeds above 2 km/h, with significant underestimation (-95%) at 2 km/h.
Conclusions:
- Four accelerometer models effectively assess physical activity intensity and can be used for comparative studies between normal-weight and overweight children.
- Lifecorder and ActiGraph accurately measure steps when movement speed exceeds 2 km/h.
Background:
Different movement efficiency in overweight children may affect accelerometer output data. The purpose was to investigate the ability of accelerometers to assess physical activity intensity and number of steps in normal-weight compared with overweight children.
Methods:
Eleven normal-weight and 14 overweight African American children walked at 2, 4, 5, and 6 km/h on a treadmill wearing Lifecorder, ActiGraph, RT3, and Biotrainer. Oxygen uptake was measured and steps manually counted. Fat free mass (FFM) was assessed from bioelectrical impedance analysis. Accelerometer counts and the individual linear regression lines of accelerometer counts versus VO(2)/FFM were evaluated, together with steps recorded by Lifecorder and Actigraph.
Results:
Correlations between accelerometer counts and VO(2)/FFM for all monitors were r ≥ .95 (P < .01). The accelerometer counts and their relationship to VO(2)/FFM did not generally differ significantly by body weight status. Lifecorder and Actigraph underestimated steps at 4, 5, and 6 km/h by less than 9%, but the error was up to -95% at 2 km/h.
Conclusions:
All 4 accelerometers show high ability to assess physical activity intensity, and can be used to compare physical activity between normal-weight and overweight children. The Lifecorder and the ActiGraph showed high accuracy in assessing steps, providing speed of movement exceeded 2 km/h.
