Abstract
The aims of our study were to examine whether a gravity-removal physical activity classification algorithm (GRPACA) is applicable for discrimination between nonlocomotive and locomotive activities for various physical activities (PAs) of children and to prove that this approach improves the estimation accuracy of a prediction model for children using an accelerometer. Japanese children (42 boys and 26 girls) attending primary school were invited to participate in this study. We used a triaxial accelerometer with a sampling interval of 32 Hz and within a measurement range of ±6 G. Participants were asked to perform 6 nonlocomotive and 5 locomotive activities. We measured raw synthetic acceleration with the triaxial accelerometer and monitored oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production during each activity with the Douglas bag method. In addition, the resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured with the subject sitting on a chair to calculate metabolic equivalents (METs). When the ratio of unfiltered synthetic acceleration (USA) and filtered synthetic acceleration (FSA) was 1.12, the rate of correct discrimination between nonlocomotive and locomotive activities was excellent, at 99.1% on average. As a result, a strong linear relationship was found for both nonlocomotive (METs = 0.013×synthetic acceleration +1.220, R2 = 0.772) and locomotive (METs = 0.005×synthetic acceleration +0.944, R2 = 0.880) activities, except for climbing down and up. The mean differences between the values predicted by our model and measured METs were −0.50 to 0.23 for moderate to vigorous intensity (>3.5 METs) PAs like running, ball throwing and washing the floor, which were regarded as unpredictable PAs. In addition, the difference was within 0.25 METs for sedentary to mild moderate PAs (<3.5 METs). Our specific calibration model that discriminates between nonlocomotive and locomotive activities for children can be useful to evaluate the sedentary to vigorous PAs intensity of both nonlocomotive and locomotive activities.
Highlights
Much research has shown that there is a positive relationship between physical activity (PA) and both physical and mental health outcomes in children [1,2]
We suggested a new calibration model that could discriminate locomotive activities from nonlocomotive activities in adults with a triaxial accelerometer based on the ratio of raw synthetic acceleration to filtered synthetic acceleration without gravity acceleration [20,21]
Our second aim was to prove that this discrimination method improves the estimation accuracy of the prediction model for children using an accelerometer
Summary
Much research has shown that there is a positive relationship between physical activity (PA) and both physical and mental health outcomes in children [1,2]. It is currently recommended that children should be engaged in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) for at least 60 minutes each day [2,3]. Estimation of PA in children is difficult, since children show PA of varying intensity with short duration [4,5]. PA is generally estimated in units of activity energy expenditure or time engaged in MVPA. Questionnaires and self-report activity diaries are effective methods in population-based research, they have the limitations of being less valid and reliable, in children [6]
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