Activity Monitors Flashcards
Purpose of portable electronic heart rate meters?
Used to infer metabolic activity in free-living (vs. laboratory) subjects
Fxn of pedometers
Count steps
Where are pedometers worn
At hip or ankle
Science behind pedometer
- low cost pedometers use simple mechanical switch
- when limb movement causes large enough perturbation of the monitor the switch closes momentarily and pedometer registers a step
What are accelerometers
- piezoelectric crystals that have property of producing tiny voltage proportional to amount of strain on crystal
3 things heart rate meters can measure?
- intensity of action
- metabolic rate
- caloric expenditure
Characteristics of heart rate meters
small, light, minimally intrusive
heart rate is a valid and reliable indicator for what in most cases?
exercise intensity
What is reliability
Similar value obtained on repeat measures under similar conditions
4 situations in which heart rate does not accurately reflect exercise intensity
- Arm work: HR overestimates intensity
- Prolonged exercise: HR drifts upward
- Medications: May limit HR increase
- Horizontal: HR lower for a given intensity compared w/upright posture
3 subjects written about activity monitor discussed in textbook
- accuracy of monitors (special consideration is the quantification of activity among children and youth)
- use of activity monitors to see if an “intervention” makes people more active
- does giving people a pedometer result in an increase in their activity level
When is inaccuracy of pedometers the greatest
at lower walking speeds or very fast walking/running
4 steps to ensure pedometer counts steps accurately
- attach device at waistline, directly above kneecap
- don’t attach pedometer to loose garments like dresses
- regularly check pedometer while ur walking to make sure doesnt shift out of position
- unless otherwise instructed, wear pedometer in 1upright position
Accuracy of pedometers varies with what factors
One’s walking speed, stride length, & force w/which one’s feet strikes the ground
What pre check can be done to check accuracy of pedometer?
clip to waist or belt & check accuracy by counting ur steps as u walk ur normal walk, then compare steps w/what pedometer indicates
Describe the sensitivity vs. specificity dilemma with pedometers
- how large a movement should be counted as a step?
- if sensitivity too low, some real steps overlooked
- if specificity too low, minor movements that aren’t “real” steps will be counted
Advantages of using pedometer to assess daily or weekly activity patterns as a whole
- cheap
- objective
- does not interfere w/daily activities & is thus appropriate to use in population studies
advantage of commercial accelerometer with time-sampling mechanism
could be used to provide a picture of the pattern of children’s activity
if wanting to use pedometers to motivate people to become more active, what aspect is more important and less important?
- accuracy doesn’t matter
- reliability matters
Example of indirect calorimetry
measurement of oxygen consumption
Main finding of Couter et al. (2003) for pedometer study?
pedometers most accurate for counting steps, less accurate for assessing distance, and even less accurate for assessing kcal
Main finding of Melanson et al. (2004) for pedometer study?
even at very slow speed of 1.0 mph, accuracy of piezoelectric pedometer while not good, was better than spring-levered pedometers
Main findings of Crouter, Schneider & Basset for pedometer study?
- in overweight and obese individuals, piezoelectric pedometer more accurate than spring-levered pedometer esp at slower walking speeds
- pedometer tilt (more than waist circumference and BMI) most important factor influencing accuracy of spring-levered pedometer
- piezoelectric pedometer not affected by pedometer tilt, waist circumference, or BMI
For Craig, Cameron, and Cragg study, avg # of steps reported was…
- less than that recommended to maintain healthy body mass
- Higher among males
- Higher in the West
- Higher among those said they participate in organized PA and sport
- Lower among those who said they prefer quiet activities