Energy Expenditure From Actireg And Sensewear Armband Compared To Doubly Labeled Water In Adolescents

Abstract

ActiReg (AR) is an activity monitor combining recordings of body position and body movement in its algorithm for calculation of energy expenditure (EE). However, the algorithm causes overestimation of EE for moderate intense activity in children and there is a need to adjust it accordingly. SenseWear Armband (SWA) analyzes the signal pattern from several different sensors applying activity-specific algorithms to calculating EE. None of these activity monitors have been validated in children or adolescents under free-living conditions. PURPOSE: To investigate the validity of AR and SWA in assessing EE in adolescents using doubly labeled water (DLW) as criterion method. METHODS: Twenty 14-15 years old healthy normal-weighed adolescents wore AR and SWA continuously for 14 days. During the same period DLW analysis was performed. In this study a newly developed algorithm for AR, ARd, was tested together with the original one, ARo. RESULTS: The wearing-time for AR and SWA was 95 (3)% and 97 (2)% of the total period. The difference between ARo, ARd and DLW was 0.5 (1.4) MJ/d (P= 0.12) and -0.06 (1.2) MJ/d (P=0.84), and between SWA and DLW 0.9 (1.2) MJ/d (P=0.02). There was a correlation between the difference and EE of −0.56 (P=0.01), −0.68 (P=0.001) and −0.46 (P=0.04) for ARo, ARd and SWA. CONCLUSIONS: AR is able to assess EE for free-living adolescents and with improved accuracy using the newly developed algorithm, while SWA overestimates EE. However, the ability of AR in assessing EE is affected by the EE level. Supported by Solstickan Foundation, Hjärtebarn Foundation, Petter Silfverskiöld Foundation, Greta and Einar Asker Foundation.