Feasible but Not Yet Efficacious: a Scoping Review of Wearable Activity Monitors in Interventions Targeting Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep

Background: There is increasing interest in the role that technology can play in improving the vitality of knowledge workers. A promising and widely adopted strategy to attain this goal is to reduce sedentary behavior (SB) and increase physical activity (PA). In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art SB and PA interventions using technology in the office environment. By scoping the existing landscape, we identified current gaps and underexplored possibilities. We discuss opportunities for future development and research on SB and PA interventions using technology. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Association for Computing Machinery digital library, the interdisciplinary library Scopus, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Xplore Digital Library to locate peer-reviewed scientific articles detailing SB and PA technology interventions in office environments between 2009 and 2019. Results: The initial search identified 1130 articles, of which 45 studies were included in the analysis. Our scoping review focused on the technologies supporting the interventions, which were coded using a grounded approach. Conclusion: Our findings showed that current SB and PA interventions using technology provide limited possibilities for physically active ways of working as opposed to the common strategy of prompting breaks. Interventions are also often offered as additional systems or services, rather than integrated into existing office infrastructures. With this work, we have mapped different types of interventions and provide an increased understanding of the opportunities for future multidisciplinary development and research of technologies to address sedentary behavior and physical activity in the office context.

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Physical Activity Monitoring in Extremely Obese Adolescents From the Teen-LABORATORIES Study

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2013-0006 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 132-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Renee M. Jeffreys ◽

Thomas H. Inge ◽

Todd M. Jenkins ◽

Wendy C. King ◽

Vedran Oruc ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Activity Monitor ◽

Walk Test ◽

Female Age ◽

Activity Monitors ◽

Physical Activity Monitoring ◽

Sedentary Bouts ◽

Intermittent Activity

Background:The accuracy of physical activity (PA) monitors to discriminate between PA, sedentary behavior, and nonwear in extremely obese (EO) adolescents is unknown.Methods:Twenty-five subjects (9 male/16 female; age = 16.5 ± 2.0 y; BMI = 51 ± 8 kg/m2) wore 3 activity monitors (StepWatch [SAM], Actical [AC], Actiheart [AH]) during a 400-m walk test (400MWT), 2 standardized PA bouts of varying duration, and 1 sedentary bout.Results:For the 400MWT, percent error between observed and monitor-recorded steps was 5.5 ± 7.1% and 82.1 ± 38.6% for the SAM and AC steps, respectively (observed vs. SAM steps: −17.2 ± 22.2 steps; observed vs. AC steps: −264.5 ± 124.8 steps). All activity monitors were able to differentiate between PA and sedentary bouts, but only SAM steps and AH heart rate were significantly different between sedentary behavior and nonwear (P < .001). For all monitors, sedentary behavior was characterized by bouts of zero steps/counts punctuated by intermittent activity steps/counts; nonwear was represented almost exclusively by zero steps/counts.Conclusion:Of all monitors tested, the SAM was most accurate in terms of counting steps and differentiating levels of PA and thus, most appropriate for EO adolescents. The ability to accurately characterize PA intensity in EO adolescents critically depends on activity monitor selection.

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Indicators to Assess Physical Health of Children and Adolescents in Activity Research—A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182010711 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (20) ◽

pp. 10711

Author(s):

Simon Kolb ◽

Alexander Burchartz ◽

Doris Oriwol ◽

Steffen C. E. Schmidt ◽

Alexander Woll ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Physical Health ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Health Indicators ◽

Later Life ◽

Future Research ◽

Childhood And Adolescence

Sufficient physical activity can help promote and maintain health, while its lack can jeopardize it. Since health and physical activity lay their foundation for later life in childhood and adolescence, it is important to examine this relationship from the beginning. Therefore, this scoping review aims to provide an overview of physical health indicators in children and adolescents in research on the effects of physical activity and sedentary behavior. We identified the indicators used to quantify or assess physical health and summarized the methods used to measure these indicators. We systematically searched Scopus, Pubmed, and Web of Science databases for systematic reviews. The search yielded 4595 records from which 32 records were included in the review. The measurements for physical health reported in the reviews contained measures of body composition, cardiometabolic biomarkers, physical fitness, harm/injury, or bone health. Body composition was the most used indicator to assess and evaluate physical health in children, whereas information on harm and injury was barely available. In future research longitudinal studies are mandatory to focus on the prospective relationships between physical activity or sedentary behavior, and physical health.

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Comparison of Habitual Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Adolescents and Young Adults With and Without Cerebral Palsy

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.2017-0285 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 60-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ronit Aviram ◽

Netta Harries ◽

Anat Shkedy Rabani ◽

Akram Amro ◽

Ibtisam Nammourah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Young Adults ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Habitual Physical Activity ◽

Activity Monitors ◽

Mobility Devices ◽

Upright Standing ◽

Teenagers And Young Adults ◽

Physical Activity Monitors

Purpose: The comparison of habitual physical activity and sedentary time in teenagers and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) with typically developed (TD) peers can serve to quantify activity shortcomings. Methods: Patterns of sedentary, upright, standing, and walking components of habitual physical activity were compared in age-matched (16.8 y) groups of 54 youths with bilateral spastic CP (38 who walk with limitations and 16 who require mobility devices) and 41 TD youths in the Middle East. Activity and sedentary behavior were measured over 96 hours by activPAL3 physical activity monitors. Results: Participants with CP spent more time sedentary (8%) and sitting (37%) and less time standing (20%) and walking (40%) than TD (all Ps < .01). These trends were enhanced in the participants with CP requiring mobility devices. Shorter sedentary events (those <60-min duration) were similar for TD and CP groups, but CP had significantly more long sedentary events (>2 h) and significantly fewer upright events (taking <30, 30–60, and >60 min) and less total upright time than TD. Conclusion: Ambulant participants with CP, as well as TD youth must be encouraged to take more breaks from being sedentary and include more frequent and longer upright events.

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E‐&mHealth interventions targeting nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and/or obesity among children: A scoping review of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses

Obesity Reviews ◽

10.1111/obr.13331 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Chelsea L. Kracht ◽

Melinda Hutchesson ◽

Mavra Ahmed ◽

Andre Matthias Müller ◽

Lee M. Ashton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Meta Analyses

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Patterns of Sedentary Behavior among Older Adults in Care Facilities: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052710 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2710

Author(s):

Kin-Chung Wilson Leung ◽

Kim-Wai Raymond Sum ◽

Yi-Jian Yang

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Care Facility ◽

Sedentary Activity ◽

Levels Of Care ◽

Care Facilities ◽

High Level

Understanding the sedentary patterns can guide the design of strategies to engage older adults in physical activity. This scoping review aimed to synthesize available evidence on sedentary behaviors in care facilities. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science for studies published from inception through October 2020. Eighteen studies were included and reviewed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data obtained were analyzed based on levels of care provided. Overall, daily sedentary time was higher among residents in high level care facilities (e.g., nursing homes) (11.6 h/day) than intermediate/mixed level care facilities (e.g., assisted living) (9.5 h/day). In intermediate/mixed level care facilities, television (TV) viewing was the most common sedentary activity (2.5–2.9 h/day; 26% of daily sedentary time), while napping was the most favorite sedentary activity (4.7 h/day; 36% of waking hours) in high level care facilities. Sex differences in daily patterns of sedentary behavior (sedentary time, uninterrupted bouts, and bout durations) were commonly observed in intermediate/mixed level care facilities, as exemplified by men being more sedentary by 0.7–1.1 h/day. In summary, this study highlights distinctive sedentary patterns among older adults residing in different levels of care facilities, addressing a pressing need for customized interventions to engage care facility residents in physical activity.

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Accuracy of Intensity and Inclinometer Output of Three Activity Monitors for Identification of Sedentary Behavior and Light-Intensity Activity

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2012/460271 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Lucas J. Carr ◽

Matthew T. Mahar

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Light Intensity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Direct Observation ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Percentage Agreement ◽

Activity Monitors ◽

Anatomical Position ◽

Physical Activity Monitors ◽

Walking Time

Purpose. To examine the accuracy of intensity and inclinometer output of three physical activity monitors during various sedentary and light-intensity activities.Methods. Thirty-six participants wore three physical activity monitors (ActiGraph GT1M, ActiGraph GT3X+, and StepWatch) while completing sedentary (lying, sitting watching television, sitting using computer, and standing still) light (walking 1.0 mph, pedaling 7.0 mph, pedaling 15.0 mph) intensity activities under controlled settings. Accuracy for correctly categorizing intensity was assessed for each monitor and threshold. Accuracy of the GT3X+ inclinometer function (GT3X+Incl) for correctly identifying anatomical position was also assessed. Percentage agreement between direct observation and the monitor recorded time spent in sedentary behavior and light intensity was examined.Results. All monitors using all thresholds accurately identified over 80% of sedentary behaviors and 60% of light-intensity walking time based on intensity output. The StepWatch was the most accurate in detecting pedaling time but unable to detect pedal workload. The GT3X+Incl accurately identified anatomical position during 70% of all activities but demonstrated limitations in discriminating between activities of differing intensity.Conclusions. Our findings suggest that all three monitors accurately measure most sedentary and light-intensity activities although choice of monitors should be based on study-specific needs.

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