Energy Expenditure Measurements under Controlled Conditions - A Comparison of Accelerometry, Multisensorsystem and Mobile Spiroergometry

Introduction: Health enabling technologies are widely used to measure physical activities of daily living (PADL) and quantify energy expenditure (EE). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how accurate the triaxial accelerometer RT3 (RT3) and the SenseWear Armband (SW) are able to detect EE in PADL compared to the portable spiroergometry system Oxycon Mobile (OM). Methods: After a spiroergometry VO2max test. EE was measured in 20 healthy adults (10 males, 10 females; age 25 +/- 4 yrs). They completed six PADL (Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), computer work, walking vacuuming stair stepping and cycling) under controlled. laboratory conditions. Results: Calculations display significant differences between RT3 compared to OM EE quantifications (RMR: -11% computer work; -24% walking: +35% vacuuming -15% stair stepping: -36% cycling: -68%). SW shows similar results between computer work and vacuuming compared to OM whereas all other activities were significantly different between measurement systems (RMR: -15%, walking: +9%, stair stepping: -25%, cycling: -39%). Discussion: RT3 shows a lack of accuracy in determining EE for all activities tested compared to OM. SW, which uses further sensors to detect activity types, measures more accurately applying specific regressions for calculating EE. Increased intensity of physical activity results in underestimated EE of both sensors compared to OM.