Estimates of Physical Activity in Older Adults Using the ActiGraph Low-Frequency Extension Filter

Abstract

As a default setting, many body-worn research-grade activity monitors rely on software algorithms developed for young adults using waist-worn devices. ActiGraph offers the low-frequency extension (LFE) filter, which reduces the movement threshold to capture low acceleration activity, which is more common in older adults. It is unclear how this filter changes activity estimates and whether it is appropriate for all older adults. The authors compared activity estimates with and without the LFE filter on wrist-worn devices in a sample of 34 older adults who wore the ActiGraph GT9X on their nondominant wrist for 7 days in a free-living environment. The authors used participant characteristics to predict discrepancy in step count estimates generated with and without the LFE filter to determine which individuals are most accurately characterized. Estimates of steps per minute were higher (M = 21,SD = 1), and more activity was classified as moderate to vigorous intensity (M = 5.03%,SD = 3.92%) with the LFE filter (M = 11,SD = 1;M = 4.27%,SD = 3.52%) versus without the LFE filter (allps < .001). The findings suggest that axes-based variables should be interpreted with caution when generated with wrist-worn data, and future studies should develop separate wrist and waist-worn standard estimates in older adults. Participation in a greater amount of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity predicted a larger discrepancy in step counts generated with and without the filter (p < .009), suggesting that the LFE filter becomes increasingly inappropriate for use in highly active older individuals.