Search history
Search June 2022
11, June 2022| Number of included publications: | 967 |
| Laboratory adults: | 545 |
| Laboratory children: | 123 |
| Free-living adults: | 222 |
| Free-living children: | 76 |
Next planned search
31, December 2024| Number of included publications | |
| Laboratory adults | |
| Laboratory children | |
| Free-living adults | |
| Free-living children |
Publications
Our opinion paper summarizing a series of systematic reviews of 967 validation studies addressing the quality of validation protocols for the assessment of 24-hour physical behavior via wearables is now available:
Giurgiu, M., von Haaren-Mack, B., Fiedler, J., Woll, S., Burchartz, A., Kolb, S., ... & Bussmann, J. B. (2024). The wearable landscape: Issues pertaining to the validation of the measurement of 24-h physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behavior assessment. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 101006. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2024.101006
You can find the systematic reviews summarized here:
Giurgiu M, Kolb S, Nigg C, et al. Assessment of 24-hour physical behaviour in children and adolescents via wearables: a systematic review of free-living validation studies. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2022;8(2):e001267. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001267
Giurgiu M, Nigg C, Fiedler J, et al. The Assessment of 24-Hr Physical Behavior in Children and Adolescents via Wearables: A Systematic Review of Laboratory Validation Studies. J Meas Phys Behav. 2022;5(4):263-276. doi:10.1123/jmpb.2022-0014
Giurgiu M, Ketelhut S, Kubica C, et al. Assessment of 24-hour physical behaviour in adults via wearables: a systematic review of validation studies under laboratory conditions. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2023;20(1):68. doi:10.1186/s12966-023-01473-7
Giurgiu M, Timm I, Becker M, et al. Quality Evaluation of Free-living Validation Studies for the Assessment of 24-Hour Physical Behavior in Adults via Wearables: Systematic
Review. JMIR MHealth UHealth. 2022;10(6):e36377. doi:10.2196/36377
Aim
We would like to raise researchers' and consumers´ attention to the quality of published validation protocols while aiming to identify and compare specific consistencies/inconsistencies. In particular, we would like to provide a comprehensive and historical overview of which wearable has been validated for which purpose. Furthermore, we would like to update the search annually in the form of a living review.
Relevance
In our review process, we focus on the concept of physcial behavior within the cycle of the 24-hour day – that is the entire spectrum of all human movement and non-movement behaviors including physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. Many researchers now started to recognize that physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep behaviourally interrelated and synergistically affect health (see also: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001811).
From manufacturing to its implementation in applied studies, ideally a wearable undergoes a structured validation process. A phase-based validation framework (see also: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000206) serves as a starting point. The framework starts with the device manufacture and ends with its application in health studies. After initial mechanical (Phase 0) and calibration testing (Phase I), validation studies are recommended with structured and semi-structured assessment in the laboratory (Phase II) and free-living conditions (Phase III), where participants can perform their natural daily behaviors. The framework establishes the foundation for a validation process in which high-quality protocols should be embedded.
Search strategy
To identify relevant publications, we use a search string that include terms for a) validity, b) type of wearable, and c) outcomes of the 24-hour physical behavior construct. Publications were searched from 1970 to June 2022 using the following databases: EBSCOHost, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Further, we reviewed the reference lists of included studies for publications that may have been missed in the database searches.
Search terms
valid* OR reliab* OR accura* OR precis* OR specific* OR sensitivity OR reproduc* OR Feasibility OR criteri* OR comparability OR “construct validity” OR calibration OR determination OR recognition
AND
acceleromet* OR “wearable device*” OR “wearable technology” OR “wearable tracker” OR “motion sensor” OR pedomet* OR inclinom* OR “actigraph*” OR “activity monitor*” OR “activity tracker*” OR “motion sensor” OR “motion sensing” OR “heart rate monitor*” OR “fitness tracker*”
AND
“physical activity” OR “physical fitness” OR walking OR exercis* OR “energy expenditure” “step-count” OR “locomotor activity” OR “ambulatory movement” OR “activity intensity” OR OR “human movement classification” OR “free-living condition” OR locomotion OR “activity patterns” OR sport OR “everyday activities” OR “free-living activites” OR Sedentar* OR sitting OR “sedentary behav*” OR “body posture” OR sleep OR “physical behav*”
valid* OR reliab* OR accuracy OR precision OR specificity OR sensitivity OR reproduc*
AND
acceleromet* OR “wearable” OR pedomet* OR inclinom* OR “activity monitor*” OR “heart rate monitor*” OR “fitness tracker*”
AND
“physical activity” OR exercis* OR “energy expenditure” OR “step-count” OR “free-living activites” OR sedentar* OR sleep
(TITLE-ABS-KEY(valid* OR reliab* OR accuracy OR precision OR specificity OR sensitivity OR reproduc* OR feasibility OR criterion OR comparability OR calibration OR determination OR recognition)
AND
TITLE-ABS-KEY(acceleromet* OR “wearable device*” OR “wearable technology” OR “wearable tracker” OR “motion sens*” OR pedomet* OR inclinom* OR “actigraph*” OR “activity monitor*” OR “activity tracker*” OR “heart rate monitor*” OR “fitness tracker*”)
AND
TITLE-ABS-KEY(“physical activity” OR “physical fitness” OR walking OR exercis* OR “energy expenditure” “step-count” OR “locomotor activity” OR “ambulatory movement” OR “activity intensity” OR “free-living condition” OR locomotion OR “activity patterns” OR sport OR “everyday activities” OR “free-living activites” OR sedentar* OR sitting OR “sedentary behav*” OR “body postures” OR sleep OR “physical behav*”)
(("Reproducibility of Results"[Mesh] OR valid*[Title/Abstract] OR reliab*[Title/Abstract] OR accuracy[Title/Abstract] OR precision[Title/Abstract] OR specificity[Title/Abstract] OR sensitivity[Title/Abstract] OR reproduc*[Title/Abstract] OR feasibility[Title/Abstract] OR criterion[Title/Abstract] OR comparability[Title/Abstract] OR calibration[Title/Abstract] OR determination[Title/Abstract] OR recognition[Title/Abstract])
AND
("Wearable Electronic Devices"[Mesh] OR acceleromet*[Title/Abstract] OR “wearable device*”[Title/Abstract] OR “wearable technology”[Title/Abstract] OR “wearable tracker*”[Title/Abstract] OR “motion sensor*”[Title/Abstract] OR pedomet*[Title/Abstract] OR inclinom*[Title/Abstract] OR “actigraph*”[Title/Abstract] OR “activity monitor*”[Title/Abstract] OR “activity tracker*”[Title/Abstract] OR “motion sensor*”[Title/Abstract] OR “motion sensing”[Title/Abstract] OR “heart rate monitor*”[Title/Abstract] OR “fitness tracker*”[Title/Abstract]))
AND
("Exercise"[Mesh] OR “physical activity”[Title/Abstract] OR “physical fitness”[Title/Abstract] OR walk*[Title/Abstract] OR exercis*[Title/Abstract] OR "Energy Metabolism"[Mesh] OR “energy expenditure” OR “step-count”[Title/Abstract] OR "Locomotion"[Mesh] OR “locomotor activity”[Title/Abstract] OR “ambulatory movement”[Title/Abstract] OR “activity intensity”[Title/Abstract] OR “free-living condition”[Title/Abstract] OR locomotion[Title/Abstract] OR “activity pattern*”[Title/Abstract] OR sport*[Title/Abstract] OR “everyday activit*”[Title/Abstract] OR “free-living activit*”[Title/Abstract] OR "Sedentary Behavior"[Mesh] OR sedentar*[Title/Abstract] OR sitting[Title/Abstract] OR “sedentary behav*”[Title/Abstract] OR “body postures”[Title/Abstract] OR"Sleep"[Mesh] OR sleep*[Title/Abstract] OR “physical behav*”[Title/Abstract])
(((((TS=(Valid* OR reliab* OR accuracy OR precision OR specificity OR sensitivity OR reproduc* OR feasibility OR criterion OR comparability OR calibration OR determination OR recognition)
AND
TS=(acceleromet* OR “wearable device*” OR “wearable technology” OR “wearable tracker” OR “motion sens*” OR pedomet* OR inclinom* OR “actigraph*” OR “activity monitor*” OR “activity tracker*” OR “heart rate monitor*” OR “fitness tracker*”)
AND
TS=( “physical activity” OR “physical fitness” OR walking OR exercis* OR “energy expenditure” “step-count” OR “locomotor activity” OR “ambulatory movement” OR “activity intensity” OR “free-living condition” OR locomotion OR “activity patterns” OR sport OR “everyday activities” OR “free-living activites” OR sedentar* OR sitting OR “sedentary behav*” OR “body postures” OR sleep OR “physical behav*”)
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
- Participants any ages regardless of health conditions.
- Any wearable validation study in which at least one part of the study was conducted either under laboratory or free-living conditions.
- Studies will only be included if they described a criterion measure.
- Studies will be included in which the wearable outcome(s) could be classified into at least one dimension of the 24-hour physical behavior construct (i.e., biological state, posture/activity type, or intensity; see also: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000874).
Quality assessment
We evaluate the risk of bias for each article by using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool (see also: 10.7326/0003-4819-155-8-201110180-00009). The tool comprises four domains (i.e., patient selection, index measure, criterion measure, and flow/timing). Following the QUADAS-2 guidelines, we selected a set of signaling questions for each domain and added questions modified from the QUADAS-2 background document based on core principles, recommendations, and expert statements for validation studies (see also: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182399cf7; 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103147). The risk of bias assessment will be conducted independently by at least two team members. Discrepancies will be discussed until a consensus is reached. The study quality will be evaluated at the domain level, i.e., if all signaling questions for a domain were answered “yes”, then the risk of bias was deemed to be “low”. If any signaling question was answered “no”, then the risk of bias was deemed to be “high”. The “unclear” category was only used when insufficient data were reported for evaluation. Based on the domain-level ratings, we created a decision tree to evaluate the overall study quality as “low risk”, “some concerns” or “high risk”.
Criteria items
1. Did the study include a range of activities concerning the 24-hr physical behavior construct? (i.e., activities from both areas: physical activity (e.g., walking/exercise) and sedentary activities (e.g., sitting, lying activities))
2. Did the study protocol include at least one part/activity with natural transitions?
3. Did the study provide any information about the inclusion/exclusion of the recruiting process?
4. Did the study include at least a sample of 20 participants?
5. Was the algorithm of the validated outcome reported (i.e., formula), or was at least further information cited?
6. Is the selected reference the gold standard?
7. Did the authors provide any information about data synchronization?
8. Were all participants included in the analyses or were any exclusion reasons provided?
Quality assessment diagramm
