Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: June 20, 2025
Relationships between oxygen uptake, dynamic body acceleration and heart rate in humans
L A D'silva1, A Cardew, L Qasem
1College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK - m.j.lewis@swansea.ac.uk.
Aim:
Accurate estimation of energy expenditure (EE) is important in human and animal behavior analysis. Rate of oxygen consumption (VO2) reflects EE during aerobic metabolism but is not always convenient. Alternative methods include heart rate (HR) and overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA). A favorable ODBA-VO2 relationship was recently reported but the strength of association between VO2, ODBA, HR and its variability (HRV) is less clear.
Method:
Fifteen young (23±4 years) healthy males of similar aerobic fitness (maximal oxygen uptake, VO2max=49.7±8.5 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) carried out progressive maximal exercise. ODBA, HRV and V̇O2 were recorded continuously. Relationships between ODBA, HRV and V̇O2 were explored using regression methods.
Results:
VO2 was strongly related to ODBA and RR during walking (R=0.45,0.30; P<5x10(-5)) and running (R=0.60,0.38; P<5x10(-5)). HRV was related to VO2 during walking only (R=0.11-0.26; 0.005
Conclusion:
ODBA is a stronger proxy for EE than RR or HRV, especially during running gaits. HRV is weakly related to EE and cannot be recommended for its estimation. ODBA and RR are relatively easily measured but careful attention to gait is imperative as it changes these relationships markedly.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Factors Influencing Heart Rate
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
01:19Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output (CO) refers to the total amount of blood ejected by one of the ventricles in liters per minute (L/min). In a resting adult, CO ranges from 5 to 6 L/min, adjusting according to the body's metabolic requirements.
Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output adapts to metabolic demands during stress, physical activity, or illness. The autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate via the sinoatrial node. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart...
01:17Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
01:19Special considerations while measuring oxygen saturation
Ensuring accuracy in vital sign recordings while prioritizing patient comfort and minimizing anxiety is...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:31Regulation of Heart Rates
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...