Validating Accelerometers to Study Physical Activity of Toddlers

Validating the Use of Accelerometers for the Study of Physical Activity Among Young Malawian Toddlers

One way to assess impacts of nutrition supplements to health is to measure physical activity. Physical activity can be measured with small devices called "accelerometers". Before they can be used, the devices need to be validated in the population in question. Objectives of this study are to test accelerometers in field conditions and validate their use in 16-18 months old Malawian toddlers. This study does not have a pre-set hypothesis.

Accelerometers have not been validated in children under 2 years of age. In this study 50 toddlers from Lungwena will be recruited. The participants will wear an ActiGraph GT3X+ -accelerometer fitted on their waist with an elastic belt for 7 days. During the measuring, they will have two videotaped one-hour activity observations while wearing and additional accelerometer device fitted on their ankle. The output from the two devices will be compared to observed activity classified with CPAF-method.

Inclusion Criteria:

• signed informed consent from at least one guardian
• age 16.00 months to 17.99 months
• availability during the period of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• any guardian reported or observed illness that limits child's physical activity
• a condition reported by the guardian that limits child's activity co-operate in the study
• wasting (weight-for-height < 2 SD)
• concurrent participation in any clinical trial with an intervention