Validation of the Vivago Wrist-Worn accelerometer in the assessment of physical activity

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 690
• Main Authors: Vanhelst, Jérémy, Hurdiel, Rémy, Mikulovic, Jacques, Bui-Xuân, Gilles, Fardy, Paul, Theunynck, Denis, Béghin, Laurent
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 22-08-2012; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Accelerometers; Accelerometry; Accelerometry - instrumentation; Adult; Analysis; Calibration; Cut-off; Exercise; Female; Fitness equipment; Gases; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; Measurement; Motor Activity - physiology; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Physical fitness; Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results; Running; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Sensors; Validation; Validity; Young Adult; France; United States > US; Validation; Exercise; Calibration; Cut-off; Accelerometry
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-690

Most accelerometers are worn around the waist (hip or lower back) to assess habitual physical activity. Wrist-worn accelerometers may be an alternative to the waist-worn monitors and may improve compliance in studies with prolonged wear. The aim of this study was to validate the Vivago® Wrist-Worn Accelerometer at various intensities of physical activity (PA) in adults.
Twenty-one healthy adults aged 20-34 years were recruited for the study. Accelerometer data and oxygen uptake (VO2) were measured at sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous levels of PA.
Activity categories and accelerometer counts were: sedentary, 0-15 counts·min-1; light, 16-40 counts·min-1; moderate, 41-85 counts·min-1; and vigorous activity, >; 85 counts·min-1. ANOVA repeated measures was used to determine the relationship between accelerometry data output and oxygen consumption (r = .89; p <; .001). The Bland and Altman method showed good agreement in the assessment of energy expenditure between the indirect calorimetry and the data obtained by the accelerometer.
Results of the study suggest that the Vivago® wrist-worn accelerometer is a valid measure of PA at varying levels of intensity. The study has also defined threshold values at 4 intensities and hence te Vivago® accelerometer may be used to quantify PA in free living conditions among adults. This device has possible application in treating a variety of important health concerns.