Enhancing the value of accelerometer-assessed physical activity: meaningful visual comparisons of data-driven translational accelerometer metrics.

Abstract

The lack of consensus on meaningful and interpretable physical activity outcomes from accelerometer data hampers comparison across studies. Cut-point analyses are simple to apply and easy to interpret but can lead to results that are not comparable. We propose that the optimal accelerometer metrics for data analysis are not the same as the optimal metrics for translation. Ideally, analytical metrics are precise continuous variables that cover the intensity spectrum, while translational metrics facilitate meaningful, public-health messages and can be described in terms of activities (e.g. brisk walking) or intensity (e.g. moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Two analytical metrics that ca..