Files and links (2)
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Measuring moderate-intensity walking in older adults using the ActiGraph accelerometer
BMC Geriatrics, Vol.16, pp.1-9
2016
PMCID: PMC5146877
PMID: 27931188
Abstract
Background:
Accelerometry is the method of choice for objectively assessing physical activity in older adults. Many studies have used an accelerometer count cut point corresponding to 3 metabolic equivalents (METs) derived in young adults during treadmill walking and running with a resting metabolic rate (RMR) assumed at 3.5 mL · kg−1 · min−1 (corresponding to 1 MET). RMR is lower in older adults; therefore, their 3 MET level occurs at a lower absolute energy expenditure making the cut point derived from young adults inappropriate for this population. The few studies determining older adult specific moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) cut points had methodological limitations, such as not measuring RMR and using treadmill walking.
Methods:
This study determined a MVPA hip-worn accelerometer cut point for older adults using measured RMR and overground walking. Following determination of RMR, 45 older adults (mean age 70.2 ± 7 years, range 60–87.6 years) undertook an outdoor, overground walking protocol with accelerometer count and energy expenditure determined at five walking speeds.
Results:
Mean RMR was 2.8 ± 0.6 mL · kg−1 · min−1. The MVPA cut points (95% CI) determined using linear mixed models were: vertical axis 1013 (734, 1292) counts · min−1; vector magnitude 1924 (1657, 2192) counts · min−1; and walking speed 2.5 (2.2, 2.8) km · hr−1. High levels of inter-individual variability in cut points were found.
Conclusions:
These MVPA accelerometer and speed cut points for walking, the most popular physical activity in older adults, were lower than those for younger adults. Using cut points determined in younger adults for older adult population studies is likely to underestimate time spent engaged in MVPA. In addition, prescription of walking speed based on the adult cut point is likely to result in older adults working at a higher intensity than intended.
Details
- Title
- Measuring moderate-intensity walking in older adults using the ActiGraph accelerometer
- Authors
- Anthony Barnett (Author) - Australian Catholic UniversityDaniel van den Hoek (Author) - Deakin UniversityDavid Barnett (Author) - Australian Catholic UniversityEster Cerin (Corresponding Author) - Australian Catholic University
- Publication details
- BMC Geriatrics, Vol.16, pp.1-9
- Publisher
- BioMed Central Ltd.
- Date published
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12877-016-0380-5
- ISSN
- 1471-2318
- PMID
- 27931188; PMC5146877
- Copyright note
- This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
- Grant note
- FT140100085 / Australian Research Council
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99716193202621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
13 File views/ downloads
37 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Geriatrics & Gerontology
- Gerontology
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites