Performance Evaluation of Device-Based Algorithms to Estimate Step Counts in Free-Living Adults Compared with Direct Observation.

Purpose: Step counts are a widely used indicator of activity in studies of physical activity and health, but direct evidence of the accuracy and precision of these measures in free-living adults is limited. We evaluated the performance of six methods to estimate step counts using research-oriented d...

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Publicado en:Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Vol. 58; no. 8; pp. 1805 - 1817
Autores principales: HYDE, ERIC T., HAYES, HAYDEN A., MATTHEWS, CHARLES E., SHREVES, ALAINA H., YLARREGUI, KATIE, BRENNAN, SOPHIE, KEADLE, SARAH KOZEY
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Aug2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Aug2026
      vid: 58
      iid: 8
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      pub: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
      place: Baltimore, Maryland
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        10.1249/MSS.0000000000003989
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        atl: Performance Evaluation of Device-Based Algorithms to Estimate Step Counts in Free-Living Adults Compared with Direct Observation.
      aug:
        au:
          HYDE, ERIC T.
          HAYES, HAYDEN A.
          MATTHEWS, CHARLES E.
          SHREVES, ALAINA H.
          YLARREGUI, KATIE
          BRENNAN, SOPHIE
          KEADLE, SARAH KOZEY
        affil: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
      sug:
        subj:
          Step Evaluation
          Wearable Sensors
          Algorithms
          Videorecording
          Functional Status In Adulthood
          Human California
          Funding Source
          California
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Confidence Intervals
          Walking
          Running
          Sensitivity and Specificity
          Task Performance and Analysis
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Purpose: Step counts are a widely used indicator of activity in studies of physical activity and health, but direct evidence of the accuracy and precision of these measures in free-living adults is limited. We evaluated the performance of six methods to estimate step counts using research-oriented devices compared with video-recorded direct observation. Methods: Twenty adults (mean ± SD age, 36.1 ± 14.7 yr; 50% female) were affixed with the thigh-worn activPAL and wrist-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ devices for 7 days. The activPAL was processed using standard software, and five algorithms (ActiLife, Oak, Step Detection Threshold, Verisense, and stepcount) were applied to the ActiGraph data. Participants completed two 3-h sessions during which they were recorded using a GoPro camera. Camera data were annotated where step counts, activity type, posture, and whole-body movements were labeled. Linear mixed-effects regression and equivalence testing were used to compare each algorithm's step counts to direct observation. Results: Among the wrist algorithms, the mean absolute percent error was lowest for stepcount (17.1%) and highest for Step Detection Threshold (231.5%) compared with direct observation. The variance explained was moderate-to-high (R 2 = 0.64–0.90). The stepcount algorithm was similar to activPAL estimates; both were statistically equivalent to direct observation at a 15% level and provided similar estimates over a 7-day period (R 2 = 0.87, mean absolute percentage error = 12.8%). Accuracy was highest during walking/running for all algorithms, and was lower and highly variable for biking, modified walking, and mixed movements, such as pushing a stroller, working at a screen, and food preparation. Conclusions: Step count estimates differed among algorithms, however, those measured from the thigh-worn activPAL and the wrist algorithm stepcount were the most accurate.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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