Validity of Galaxy Watch for Estimating Energy Expenditure During Intermittent Running: Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Wearable technology
• Exercise physiology
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Smartwatches are popular for physiological monitoring, but their energy expenditure (EE) accuracy varies.
• Previous studies show overestimation of EE by wearables compared to indirect calorimetry.
• Validating EE measurements across different smartwatch models and exercise types is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of Samsung Galaxy Watch (GW) 6 and 7 in measuring EE.
• To compare smartwatch EE measurements against indirect calorimetry during intermittent running.
• To determine the validity of GW smartwatches for exercise monitoring.

Main Methods:

• 148 healthy adults (80 men, 68 women) participated.
• Participants engaged in 27 minutes of intermittent treadmill running (walking and running intervals).
• Energy expenditure was measured using Samsung GW6/GW7 and a Cosmed K5 indirect calorimeter (gold standard).

Main Results:

• No significant differences in EE were found between GW models and the K5.
• Mean EE: K5 (213.60 kcal), GW6 (219.53 kcal), GW7 (202.67 kcal).
• Good correlations (Spearman 0.63-0.70) and moderate ICCs (0.65-0.74) were observed.

Conclusions:

• Samsung GW6 and GW7 demonstrate moderate validity for estimating EE during intermittent running.
• These smartwatches are practical, low-cost options for monitoring daily physical activity.
• The findings support the use of GW smartwatches for general fitness tracking.