Moving forward with backward compatibility: Translating wrist accelerometer data

This study aimed to provide a means for calibrating raw acceleration data from wrist-worn accelerometers in relation to past estimates of children_s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from a range of cut points applied to hip-worn ActiGraph data. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of three studies with concurrent 7-d accelerometer wear at the wrist (GENEActiv) and hip (ActiGraph) in 238 children age 9-12 yr. The time spent above acceleration (ENMO) thresholds of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, and 400 mg from wrist acceleration data (e5-s epoch) was calculated for comparison with MVPA estimated from widely used children_s hip-worn ActiGraph MVPA cut points (Freedson/Trost, 1100 counts per minute; Pate, 1680 counts per minute; Evenson, 2296 counts per minute; Puyau, 3200 counts per minute) with epochs of e5, 15, and 60 s. Results: The optimal ENMO thresholds for alignment with MVPA estimates from ActiGraph cut points determined from 70% of the sample and cross validated with the remaining 30% were as follows: Freedson/Trost = ENMO 150+ mg, irrespective of ActiGraph epoch (intraclass correlation [ICC] Q 0.65); Pate = ENMO 200+ mg, irrespective of ActiGraph epoch (ICC Q 0.67); Evenson = ENMO 250+ mg for e5- and 15-s epochs (ICC Q 0.69) and ENMO 300+ mg for 60-s epochs (ICC = 0.73); Puyau = ENMO 300+ mg for e5-s epochs (ICC = 0.73), ENMO 350+ mg for 15-s epochs (ICC = 0.73), and ENMO 400+ mg for 60-s epochs (ICC = 0.65). Agreement was robust with cross-validation ICC = 0.62-0.71 and means within Æ7.8Æ% T 4.9% of MVPA estimates from ActiGraph cut points, except Puyau 60-s epochs (ICC = 0.42). Conclusion: Incremental ENMO thresholds enable children_s acceleration data measured at the wrist to be simply and directly compared, at a group level, with past estimates of MVPA from hip-worn ActiGraphs across a range of cut points