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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Home-Based Monitor for Gait and Activity Analysis
Published on: August 8, 2019
Validity of heart rate, pedometry, and accelerometry for predicting the energy cost of children's activities
R G Eston1, A V Rowlands, D K Ingledew
1School of Sport Health and Physical Education Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, United Kingdom.
Insights
Triaxial accelerometry is the most accurate single method for assessing children's physical activity and estimating oxygen consumption. Heart rate monitoring and pedometry also show potential for activity assessment in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Exercise Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Human Movement Studies
Background:
- Heart rate telemetry is commonly used to estimate children's daily activity and validate other measurement tools.
- Accurate assessment of physical activity in children is crucial for understanding energy expenditure and promoting healthy lifestyles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy of heart rate monitoring, pedometry, triaxial accelerometry, and uniaxial accelerometry in estimating oxygen consumption during various activities in children.
- To identify the most effective method for assessing physical activity and energy expenditure in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Thirty children (mean age 9.2 years) participated in treadmill-based activities (walking, running) and free-play activities (catch, hopscotch, drawing).
- Measurements included heart rate, triaxial and uniaxial accelerometry, pedometry counts, and oxygen uptake (scaled oxygen uptake, sVO2).
- Data were analyzed using correlation and multiple-regression analyses to determine the predictive accuracy of each measure for sVO2.
Main Results:
- All measured variables (heart rate, accelerometry, pedometry) significantly correlated with scaled oxygen uptake (sVO2).
- Triaxial accelerometry was the best single predictor of sVO2 (R2 = 0.83).
- A combination of triaxial accelerometry and heart rate provided the best prediction of sVO2 (R2 = 0.85).
Conclusions:
- Triaxial accelerometry offers the most accurate assessment of physical activity and energy expenditure in children.
- Pedometry presents a viable option for large-scale population studies due to its potential for widespread application.
- Combining multiple measures, such as triaxial accelerometry and heart rate, can further enhance the accuracy of activity assessment.
Abstract:
Heart rate telemetry is frequently used to estimate daily activity in children and to validate other methods. This study compared the accuracy of heart rate monitoring, pedometry, triaxial accelerometry, and uniaxial accelerometry for estimating oxygen consumption during typical children's activities. Thirty Welsh children (mean age 9.2 +/- 0.8 yr) walked (4 and 6 km/h) and ran (8 and 10 km/h) on a treadmill, played catch, played hopscotch, and sat and crayoned. Heart rate, body accelerations in three axes, pedometry counts, and oxygen uptake were measured continuously during each 4-min activity. Oxygen uptake was expressed as a ratio of body mass raised to the power of 0.75 [scaled oxygen uptake (sVO2)]. All measures correlated significantly (P < 0.001) with sVO2. A multiple-regression equation that included triaxial accelerometry counts and heart rate predicted sVO2 better than any measure alone (R2 = 0.85, standard error of the estimate = 9.7 ml.kg-0.75.min-1). The best of the single measures was triaxial accelerometry (R2 = 0.83, standard error of the estimate = 10.3 ml.kg-0.75.min-1). It is concluded that a triaxial accelerometer provides the best assessment of activity. Pedometry offers potential for large population studies.
