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Exploring Factors Associated With Accelerometer Validity Among Ethnically Diverse Toddlers
Christine Crumbley1, Aliye B Cepni1, Ashley Taylor2
1Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, TX,USA.
Insights
Accelerometer wear time and activity log completion in toddlers are challenging. Marital support may improve adherence to physical activity study protocols, though data quality remains a concern.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical activity measurement
- Behavioral science in research compliance
Background:
- Accurate measurement of physical activity in toddlers using accelerometers is hindered by poor compliance with wear time and activity log instructions.
- Understanding factors influencing compliance is crucial for improving the validity of research findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between wear time and activity log completion with demographic, socioeconomic, and parenting style variables in toddlers.
- To determine if sedentary time in toddlers differs based on activity log completion.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of baseline data from a randomized controlled trial involving parents and toddlers (12-35 months).
- Toddlers wore ActiGraph wGT3x accelerometers, and parents completed activity logs.
- Valid days required at least 600 minutes of wear time; analyses included ANOVA and chi-square tests.
Main Results:
- Fifty families participated; 56% submitted valid accelerometer data with activity logs.
- Participants in relationships were more likely to complete activity logs (P < .05).
- No significant difference in toddler sedentary time was found between those with and without completed activity logs.
Conclusions:
- Compliance with wear time and activity log completion varied, with poor returned activity log quality impacting data validity.
- Marital support appears to be a significant factor in adherence to study protocols for physical activity research in toddlers.
- Improved strategies are needed to enhance compliance and data quality in accelerometer-based physical activity studies.
Purpose:
Studying physical activity in toddlers using accelerometers is challenging due to noncompliance with wear time (WT) and activity log (AL) instructions. The aims of this study are to examine relationships between WT and AL completion and (1) demographic and socioeconomic variables, (2) parenting style, and (3) whether sedentary time differs by AL completion.
Methods:
Secondary analysis was performed using baseline data from a community wellness program randomized controlled trial for parents with toddlers (12-35 mo). Parents had toddlers wear ActiGraph wGT3x accelerometers and completed ALs. Valid days included ≥600-minute WT. Analysis of variance and chi-square analyses were used.
Results:
The sample (n = 50) comprised racial and ethnically diverse toddlers (mean age = 27 mo, 58% male) and parents (mean age = 31.7 y, 84% female). Twenty-eight families (56%) returned valid accelerometer data with ALs. Participants in relationships were more likely to complete ALs (P < .05). Toddler sedentary time did not differ between those with ALs and those without.
Conclusions:
We found varied compliance with WT instructions and AL completion. Returned AL quality was poor, presenting challenges in correctly characterizing low-activity counts to improve internal validity of WT and physical activity measures. Support from marital partners may be important for adherence to study protocols.
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