[Validity of an accelerometer for estimating daily physical activity--comparison with a diary method].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the validity of accelerometer measurement of daily physical activities in working adults.


METHODS
Thirty one male and 29 female working in the civil service office of N-city were required to wear an accelerometer and to complete a 5-minute-interval activity diary for 2 days (one weekday and one weekend day). One-day energy expenditure obtained from the accelerometer was compared with that from the activity diary calculated from intensity (metabolic equivalents) of each activity and its duration. Difference and correlation between energy expenditure obtained with the two methods were evaluated.


RESULTS
Although energy expenditure estimated from the activity diary was larger than that from accelerometer by 403.9 kcal, the results were highly correlated (Pearson's r = 0.846). The correlation coefficient was larger among light walkers than intensive walkers. When energy expenditure during bathing was excluded because of the non-wearability of the accelerometer, the difference between the methods was reduced without affecting the correlation coefficient.


CONCLUSIONS
The accelerometer was concluded to be useful for measurement of daily physical activities for epidemiological research and health promotion in adults.
Kodama
Yoshiko
Y
Department of Preventive Medicine/Biostatistics and Medical Decision Making, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine.
Tamakoshi
Akiko
A
Nishizuka
Takanobu
T
Hirano
Naoko
N
Kawamura
Takashi
T
Ohno
Yoshiyuki
Y
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires