Validation Of Bff Accelerometers For 3-5 Yr. Preschool Children’S Physical Activity

Abstract

PURPOSE: To collect convergent validity evidence of the Best Fit Friend (BFF) accelerometer, a new device to collect mass physical activity (PA) data in school settings, in 3-5 yr. old pre-school children. METHOD: 19 preschool children (aged 3-5, with 4.58±0.43 yr. old, 9 boys) wore two BFFs, one at wrist and another at waist, and two Actigraphs accelerometer at waist and another at waist during 3 sets of activities, including sedentary, locomotion, and free playing activities, which were selected from validate children activities assessments, such as TGMD-2 and PE Metrics. Accelerometer data were collected in 1s intervals, and then calculated average vector magnitude with signals from the 3-axis accelerometers. RESULTS: Wrist showed a high correlation between BFF and Actigraph accelerometer in both sedentary activity (r: Sit=.974 & Stand = .828) and Hand hold activity (Tricycle=.910, Weight transfer=.799, & Slide=.743). Waist showed high correlations during free playing with Jungle gym (=.948) and Stand (=.925). Waist also showed moderate-high correlation during other locomotion activities:Table: No title available.COUNCLUSION: The validity of BFF accelerometer as a tool to measure preschool children’s PA was supported by the collected convergent validity evidences. Wearing BFF accelerometer at waist is recommended since it could measure a range of PA of preschool children, including this free playing ones.