Comparing Pedometer and Accelerometer for Measuring Physical Activity in Pregnant Women
Author Information
Author(s): Tarja I Kinnunen, Peter W G Tennant, Catherine McParlin, Lucilla Poston, Stephen C Robson, Ruth Bell
Primary Institution: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University
Hypothesis
Are pedometers and accelerometers comparable in measuring physical activity in overweight and obese pregnant women?
Conclusion
The overall agreement between pedometer and accelerometer step counts was poor, indicating they cannot be used interchangeably in overweight and obese pregnant women.
Supporting Evidence
- Pedometer step counts correlated moderately with most accelerometer measures of physical activity.
- The median step counts recorded by the pedometer and accelerometer were not significantly different.
- Agreement in categorizing participants as active or inactive varied from moderate to good.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well two devices, a pedometer and an accelerometer, measure steps in pregnant women. They found that while both devices can show similar step counts, they don't always agree on how active someone is.
Methodology
Pregnant women wore both a pedometer and an accelerometer for four days to compare step counts and physical activity levels.
Potential Biases
Potential differences in wearing time for the monitors could affect the results.
Limitations
The study's sample was limited to women in early pregnancy, and the participation rate was low.
Participant Demographics
Participants were overweight and obese pregnant women with a median age of 32 years and median BMI of 29.3 kg/m2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.37
Confidence Interval
95% limits of agreement ranged from -2690 to 2656 steps/day.
Statistical Significance
p=0.37
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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