Accuracy of the RT3, BioTrainer-Pro, and SenseWear armband to measure energy cost of treadmill walking and running
Abstract
We assess the ability of the RT3, the BioTrainer-Pro (BT), and the SenseWear Armband (SW) to accurately estimate the energy cost of treadmill walking and running measured by indirect calorimetry. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that each subsequent treadmill speed elicited a significant increase (P < 0.001) in mean energy expenditure (EE) for indirect calorimetry and the SW. There was no significant difference in mean EE between 187.6 and 214.4 m/min (P > 0.12) for the RT3 nor above 134.0 m/min (P > 0.18) for the BT. All accelerometers overestimated EE at each of the seven treadmill speeds compared to indirect calorimetry [mean (±SE) difference for all speeds: 2.6 ± 0.3 kcal/min; 5.0 ± 0.6 kcal/min; and 2.1 ± 0.2 kcal/min, (P < 0.01)], for the RT3, BT, and SW, respectively. The RT3 and the SW were able to discriminate between a wide range of treadmill intensities, while the BT was only able to discern differences in walking speeds. The overestimation of EE by all accelerometers compared to indirect calorimetry was likely due to inaccuracies of the manufacturer provided algorithms for the calculation of EE. Additional sources of error may include mechanical limitations of each device or the method of estimating resting EE. However, these motion sensors may still provide an objective and detailed record of physical activity patterns for behavioral and epidemical studies provided researchers consider the limitations of each device. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Subject Area
Sports medicine
Recommended Citation
Torres, Nancy, "Accuracy of the RT3, BioTrainer-Pro, and SenseWear armband to measure energy cost of treadmill walking and running" (2003). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAIEP10377.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAIEP10377