Predictive validity of a thigh-worn accelerometer METs algorithm in 5- to 12-Year-old children

van Loo, Christiana M. T. and Okely, Anthony D. and Batterham, Marijka J. and Hinkley, Trina and Ekelund, Ulf and Brage, Søren and Reilly, John J. and Peoples, Gregory E and Jones, Rachel and Janssen, Xanne and Cliff, Dylan P. (2016) Predictive validity of a thigh-worn accelerometer METs algorithm in 5- to 12-Year-old children. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 13 (6 Supp). S78-83. ISSN 1543-3080 (In Press) (https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2015-0721)

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: To validate the activPAL3 algorithm for predicting metabolic equivalents (TAMETs) and classifying MVPA in 5- to 12-year-old children. METHODS: Fifty-seven children (9.2 ± 2.3y, 49.1% boys) completed 14 activities including sedentary behaviors (SB), light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities (MVPA). Indirect calorimetry (IC) was used as the criterion measure. Analyses included equivalence testing, Bland-Altman procedures and area under the receiver operating curve (ROC-AUC). RESULTS: At the group level, TAMETs were significantly equivalent to IC for handheld e-game, writing/coloring, and standing class activity (P < .05). Overall, TAMETs were overestimated for SB (7.9 ± 6.7%) and LPA (1.9 ± 20.2%) and underestimated for MVPA (27.7 ± 26.6%); however, classification accuracy of MVPA was good (ROC-AUC = 0.86). Limits of agreement were wide for all activities, indicating large individual error (SB: -27.6% to 44.7%; LPA: -47.1% to 51.0%; MVPA: -88.8% to 33.9%). CONCLUSIONS: TAMETs were accurate for some SB and standing, but were overestimated for overall SB and LPA, and underestimated for MVPA. Accuracy for classifying MVPA was, however, acceptable.