Abstract
Accelerometers based on the cut-point method are generally the most used in sedentary time (ST) research. However, mixed cut-points are an issue, so an accelerometer based on metabolic equivalents (METs) could be used as an alternative. This study aimed to validate a METs-based accelerometer (HJA-750C, OMRON) and a questionnaire that estimates domain-specific sedentary time measures using activPAL as a criterion value. We also examined whether measurement validity differed according to gender and occupation. We used data from 242 workers in the validation study. Participants wore activPAL on the thigh and OMRON on the waist for seven consecutive days with daily recording logs. The Workers Living Activity-time Questionnaire (WLAQ) was administered once. The domain-specific ST assessed quantities of ST during commuting, working time, non-working time on a workday, and non-workday. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman’s rho coefficients were then used to conduct analyses. The OMRON accelerometer showed acceptable values (r = 0.67–0.86 and ICC of 0.63–0.87) in the overall domain-specific ST. Additionally, each measurement result suggested that working time is the most accurate domain to measure ST (ICC of 0.87 for OMRON and 0.68 for WLAQ). Moreover, there were no differences in the overall validity of the results according to gender and occupation. The METs-based accelerometer has acceptable validity for ST measurements to be used among workers. Additionally, working time may be the preferred domain for the accurate assessment of ST in both objective and subjective measurements. These results can advance the quality of the sedentary research field.
Highlights
Due to advancements in automation and technology, sedentary behaviors can increasingly manifest habitually [1], especially in the working generation [2]
Based on daily log information, if we found an unusual workday recorded, such as a business trip or a half-day off, or if the participants failed to record the required time, we removed the data from the average calculation
The sedentary time (ST) during working time and non-workday was markedly shorter in women than in men (p < 0.01), and there were partial differences in commuting and non-working time on workday between the genders
Summary
Due to advancements in automation and technology, sedentary behaviors can increasingly manifest habitually [1], especially in the working generation [2]. Have consistently shown that sedentary time (ST), independent of physical activity (PA), is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and metabolic disorders. These observations point to the importance of accurately measuring sedentary behaviors to understand the role of ST in health outcomes. ActiGraph (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL, USA) is the most used triaxial accelerometer in the ST research field [7] It classifies activity using specified count thresholds, which is known as the cut-point method, and maintains a high degree of freedom for researcher processing (i.e., modification of cut-point, equations, and analysis). Though ActiGraph has shown various cut-off points, previous studies have shown differing results; it is unclear which cut-off
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