Validity of the Acti4 method for detection of physical activity types in free-living settings: comparison with video analysis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Validity of the Acti4 method for detection of physical activity types in free-living settings

T2 - comparison with video analysis

AU - Stemland, Ingunn

AU - Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen

AU - Christiansen, Caroline S

AU - Jensen, Bente Rona

AU - Hanisch, Christiana

AU - Skotte, Jørgen

AU - Holtermann, Andreas

N1 - CURIS 2015 NEXS 037

PY - 2015/6/3

Y1 - 2015/6/3

N2 - This study examined the ability of the Acti4 software for identifying physical activity types from accelerometers during free-living with different levels of movement complexity compared with video observations. Nineteen aircraft cabin cleaners with ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer at the thigh and hip performed one semi-standardised and two non-standardised sessions (outside and inside aircraft) with different levels of movement complexity during working hours. The sensitivity for identifying different activity types was 75.4-99.4% for the semi-standardised session, 54.6-98.5% outside the aircraft and 49.9-90.2% inside the aircraft. The specificity was above 90% for all activities, except 'moving' inside the aircraft. These findings indicate that Acti4 provides good estimates of time spent in different activity types during semi-standardised conditions, and for sitting, standing and walking during non-standardised conditions with normal level of movement complexity. The Acti4 software may be a useful tool for researchers and practitioners in the field of ergonomics, occupational and public health. Practitioner Summary: Being inexpensive, small, water-resistant and without wires, the ActiGraph GT3X+ by applying the Acti4 software may be a useful tool for long-term field measurements of physical activity types for researchers and practitioners in the field of ergonomics, occupational and public health.

AB - This study examined the ability of the Acti4 software for identifying physical activity types from accelerometers during free-living with different levels of movement complexity compared with video observations. Nineteen aircraft cabin cleaners with ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer at the thigh and hip performed one semi-standardised and two non-standardised sessions (outside and inside aircraft) with different levels of movement complexity during working hours. The sensitivity for identifying different activity types was 75.4-99.4% for the semi-standardised session, 54.6-98.5% outside the aircraft and 49.9-90.2% inside the aircraft. The specificity was above 90% for all activities, except 'moving' inside the aircraft. These findings indicate that Acti4 provides good estimates of time spent in different activity types during semi-standardised conditions, and for sitting, standing and walking during non-standardised conditions with normal level of movement complexity. The Acti4 software may be a useful tool for researchers and practitioners in the field of ergonomics, occupational and public health. Practitioner Summary: Being inexpensive, small, water-resistant and without wires, the ActiGraph GT3X+ by applying the Acti4 software may be a useful tool for long-term field measurements of physical activity types for researchers and practitioners in the field of ergonomics, occupational and public health.

U2 - 10.1080/00140139.2014.998724

DO - 10.1080/00140139.2014.998724

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25588819

SN - 0014-0139

VL - 58

SP - 953

EP - 965

JO - Ergonomics

JF - Ergonomics

IS - 6

ER -