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Objective Data Physical activity Actigraph Accelerometer The current generation of electronic activity monitors or accelerometers makes it possible for the first time to use an objective measure in population studies to assess the full range of physical activity intensities. There are several accelerometers available, but we chose the Actigraph (formerly CSA) accelerometer (MTI, Inc.) because it is very small, we have extensive experience with its use, and validation and calibration data are available . In addition, we have found the Actigraph to be able to successfully differentiate minutes walked among adults living in high- vs. low-walkable communities. The Actigraph is about the size of a watch face and measures the frequency, duration, and intensity of motion in the vertical plane. When worn on the hip/waist it has been shown to accurately reflect weight bearing physical activities in the laboratory and field. The Actigraph stores minute-by-minute averages of motion up to six weeks. Because the output has been calibrated to intensity of physical activity for adults, including older adults, it is possible to determine how many minutes the wearer is spending in light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity over a period of days or weeks. This allows a more objective determination of whether a person is meeting recommended physical activity guidelines. We recommend using the GT256 meters with their longer memory capacity.
The contact for Actigraph is: Actigraph Accelerometer Website - www.mtiactigraph.com Some useful references for assessing physical activity.
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