Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of motion sensors, specifically accelerometers, as an objective tool for the assessment of physical activity in large populations, over periods long enough to be representative of normal daily life and with minimal discomfort to the subjects.
METHOD: Review of validation studies of accelerometers with indirect calorimetry as a reference method. Accelerometers were commercially available one-axial accelerometers: CaltracĀ®, Computer Science Application (CSA) accelerometer, Mini Motionlogger Actigraph; the tri-axial accelerometer Tritrac-R3 D; and an tri-axial accelerometer for movement registration (Tracmor) from our laboratory.
RESULTS: There is no clear difference for correspondence between indirect calorimetry and accelerometer counts during level walking, whether one-axial or tri-axial and placed at the wrist, hip or low back. Sedentary activities are better reflected with a tri-axial accelerometer than with a one-axial accelerometer. Two accelerometers were validated in free living conditions with doubly labeled water. The highest correlation between accelerometer output and activity induced energy expenditure was found for Tracmor.
CONCLUSIONS: From all accelerometers tested, the tri-axial accelerometer for movement registration is an objective method that can be used to distinguish differences in activity levels between individuals and assess the effect of interventions on physical activity within individuals.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Westerterp, K. Physical activity assessment with accelerometers. Int J Obes 23 (Suppl 3), S45āS49 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0800883
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0800883
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Resting Oxygen Uptake Value of 1 Metabolic Equivalent of Task in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Descriptive Analysis
Sports Medicine (2022)
-
Effect of growth hormone treatment on energy expenditure and its relation to first-year growth response in children
European Journal of Applied Physiology (2019)
-
Validation of a method for estimating energy expenditure during walking in middle-aged adults
European Journal of Applied Physiology (2018)
-
Coherent activity between brain regions that code for value is linked to the malleability of human behavior
Scientific Reports (2017)
-
Calibration of GENEActiv accelerometer wrist cut-points for the assessment of physical activity intensity of preschool aged children
European Journal of Pediatrics (2017)