Search

The aim was to assess the technical variability of a new wrist-worn accelerometer under controlled conditions with a shaker device and during normal daily physical activities (PAs). In the first experiment, 10 wrist-worn accelerometers (Vivago®Wellness, Paris, France) were attached to the shaker device. Variability was tested at five shaking frequencies (1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, and 10 Hz) for 10 min at each frequency. In the second experiment, 21 participants wore wrist-worn accelerometers and performed six consecutive 10-min periods of activity at increasing levels of intensity from sedentary to vigorous. Results from the first experiment show a modest inter- and intra-instrument reliability at low frequencies and that reliability improved as frequency increased. The inter-instrument coefficient of variation (CV) was 2.6–18.3%. The intra-instrument CV was 4.1–23.2%. Variability was similar in the second experiment with a CV inversely related to PA intensity. The inter- and intra-instrument CV varied from 24.2% and 19.9% for sedentary activities to 3.7% and 4.3% for vigorous PA, respectively. Results suggest that reliability was higher at high intensities, corresponding to moderate and vigorous PA, intensities generally recommended for public health purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the RT3 accelerometer under conditions of normal physical activity. Sixty healthy individuals (30 boys, 30 girls) aged 10-16 years wore two accelerometers while performing different structured physical activities. The accelerometers were synchronized and data were recorded every minute during nine 15-min sessions of physical activity that varied in intensity from sedentary (watching television, playing video games) to vigorous (running on a treadmill at different speeds). Intra-instrument coefficients of variation (CV) were assessed using the formula CV = standard deviation of the measure × 100/mean of the measure. The intra-instrument coefficient of variation was higher for sedentary (17%) and light activity (16.2%) than moderate (9.3%) and vigorous activity (6.6%). These results confirmed the poor reliability of the RT3 for activity of low magnitude and frequency that was demonstrated in studies using a shaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine thresholds for various intensities of physical activity in children and adolescents using the RT3 accelerometer. Forty healthy participants aged 10-16 years were recruited to the study. To validate the RT3 accelerometer data, an independent sample of 20 children and adolescents aged 10-16 years performed the same activities. Accelerometer data, heart rate, and oxygen consumption were measured at nine levels of physical activity, which varied in intensity: sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous. Age and sex did not affect thresholds. The activity categories and accelerometer counts were: sedentary activity, 0-40 counts · min-1; light activity, 41-950 counts · min-1; moderate activity, 951-3410 counts · min-1; and vigorous activity, >3410 counts · min-1, respectively. These thresholds were considered valid as the difference between threshold values obtained using two independent groups of children was not significant. This study has established threshold values for various physical activities and enables the RT3 accelerometer to be used to quantify the duration of various levels of activity in adolescents under free-living conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare equivalence and agreement of physical activity output data collected by a Research Tri-axial accelerometer (R3T) during walking and running on a treadmill versus on land. Fifty healthy volunteers, 35 males (age 21.9 ± 1.8 years) and 15 females (age 21.6 ± 0.7 years), underwent a series of tests on a treadmill and on land with the order of testing administered randomly. Each participant walked for 10 min at 4 km · h-1 and 6 km · h-1, and ran at 8 km · h-1 and 10 km · h-1, with the same accelerometer. Analysis of output data was assessed by two statistical tests: the equivalence test and Bland and Altman method. Mean differences for walking were 41.2 ± 129.8 counts per minute and -68.8 ± 173.15 counts per minute at 4 km · h-1 and km · h-1, respectively. Mean differences for running were 19.1 ± 253.20 counts per minute and 38.9 ± 270.2 counts per minute at 8 km · h-1 and 10 km · h-1, respectively. The physical activity output data from the treadmill were higher by an average of 3.5% than the data collected on land. The differences obtained between the treadmill and on land were small and non-significant. The equivalence test showed that output data from the treadmill versus on land were equivalent (P < 0.05). The Bland and Altman method showed good agreement between the counts obtained on the treadmill and on land (P < 0.05). In conclusion, physical activity output data were similar as measured by the RT3 accelerometer on a treadmill and on land. The findings suggest that the RT3 may be used in a laboratory and extrapolated to data obtained on land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]